In a baseball-obsessed city like Boston, who wouldn't enjoy a movie about a kid who'd travel from New York City to Chicago just to return Babe Ruth's bat and help the Yankees win the World Series?
"Everyone's Hero" is a harmless computer animated movie about a little boy named Yankee that even Red Sox fans will like.
Set during the Great Depression and the Yankees-Cubs World Series of 1932, "Everyone's Hero" tells the story of 10- year-old Yankee Irving, an enthusiastic Babe Ruth (and, needless to say, Yankees) fan. Yankee is small for his age and always gets picked last to play in the sandlot baseball games.
One night, Yankee visits his father, Stanley, a janitor at Yankee Stadium. While Yankee is in the locker room admiring the players' equipment, a security guard comes in and shoos the boy away from Babe Ruth's bat.
Little does Yankee know, the guard is actually Lefty Maginnis, the pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, out to steal Darlin', Babe's lucky bat.
The bat gone, Yankee's father is blamed and fired. Yankee, distraught with guilt and determined to help his dad, runs away to retrieve the bat. With the help of a talking foul ball named Screwie, Yankee goes after Lefty, steals Darlin' back, and travels to Chicago to personally return the bat to his hero, Babe Ruth. Along the way, he meets a girl named Marti, whose father plays for Cincinnati, and several other bullies.
No one had ever used Darlin' to bat except for Ruth, and the Babe honors Yankee by letting him use Darlin' in a crucial play. In the end, the children's movie leaves no character disappointed; Yankee's parents show up just in time to see Yankee finally hit a ball and run all the way to home plate during a World Series game.
Yankee learns that "it's not really the bat, it's the batter," and that Babe Ruth didn't actually need Darlin' to win, though he did appreciate playing with his favorite bat.
Yankee is constantly encouraged throughout his adventure by his loving parents, the Cincinnati Reds, and, most of all, by Screwie. Yankee learns that he's not just a kid and that he shouldn't quit, because, with determination, he can fulfill his dream of playing in the Major Leagues.
"Everybody's Hero" is pure and simple, a heartfelt movie teaching kids about family, loyalty and determination. The encouraging words of wisdom are imparted by a talented cast; voices include Whoopi Goldberg as the sassy bat Darlin', William H. Macy as the crook Lefty Maginnis, the late Dana Reeve as Yankee's mother, Emily Irving, and Rob Reiner as Screwie the baseball.
Another vocal gem is Robin Williams, a Reeves family friend and Christopher's roommate at Julliard, who has a cameo as the Cubs owner. He's not listed in the credits, as he donated his participation in the movie.
"Everybody's Hero" was the work of three directors: Christopher Reeve, Colin Brady and Dan St. Pierre. Christopher Reeve was directing this film at the time of his death, yet the final product is touching and sincere with a message of hope and perseverance, reminding everyone that even if they are the smallest or the weakest to "just keep on swinging," because anything can happen.
