Dominican baseball star Miguel "Sugar" Santos is recruited to play in the U.S. minor-leagues.
Genre(s): Drama, Sport
Runtime: 120 minutes
Rating: 7.2/10 (924 votes)
Release Date: 21 January 2008
Country: USA
Languages: English, Spanish
Company: Journeyman Pictures
Sound: Dolby Digital, SDDS
MPAA: Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use.; Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and brief drug use. (dvd edition)
Director(s): Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
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Producer(s):
Anna Boden - executive producer
Tracey Cuesta - supervising producer: Dominican Republic
Denton Hanna - field producer: Arizona
Paul S. Mezey - producer
John Douglas Miller - field producer: Iowa
Jamie Patricof - producer
Jeremy Kipp Walker - producer
Writer(s):
Anna Boden - (written by) &
Ryan Fleck - (written by)
Cast:
Algenis Perez Soto - Miguel 'Sugar' Santos
Rayniel Rufino - Jorge Ramirez
Andre Holland - Johnson
Ann Whitney - Helen Higgins
Ellary Porterfield - Anne Higgins
Jaime Tirelli - Osvaldo
Jose Rijo - Alvarez
Michael Gaston - Stu Sutton
Alina Vargas - Reyna
Richard Bull - Earl Higgins
Music: Michael Brook
Anna Boden - executive producer
Tracey Cuesta - supervising producer: Dominican Republic
Denton Hanna - field producer: Arizona
Paul S. Mezey - producer
John Douglas Miller - field producer: Iowa
Jamie Patricof - producer
Jeremy Kipp Walker - producer
Writer(s):
Anna Boden - (written by) &
Ryan Fleck - (written by)
Cast:
Algenis Perez Soto - Miguel 'Sugar' Santos
Rayniel Rufino - Jorge Ramirez
Andre Holland - Johnson
Ann Whitney - Helen Higgins
Ellary Porterfield - Anne Higgins
Jaime Tirelli - Osvaldo
Jose Rijo - Alvarez
Michael Gaston - Stu Sutton
Alina Vargas - Reyna
Richard Bull - Earl Higgins
Music: Michael Brook
Posted on: April 23, 2009
January 22nd, 2008
Screened this film at its premiere during Sundance 2008. The mainappeal for most coming to see this movie was to see what the teambehind Half Nelsen could do on the second go around. And for the mostpart those who enjoy quality film-making will find many positives here,though this is a completely different film then Half. Much like HalfNelsen the cast feels authentic and the characters are very understatedand come across with very true to life performances. The main issuewith audience appreciation will hinge mostly on their interest inbaseball. Serious baseball fans will most likely look differently atthe Latin America ball players and the MLB system once they witnesswhat is a very accurate portrait of the trials and tribulations of theforeign players. Sure most folks know about the great Latin playerslike Pedro, and David Ortiz, etc,, but do they know about players likeMigual "Suger" Santos? The answer is probably not and I believe thefilmmakers succeeded in creating a film that makes us think about whatlife is like for all those players we don't get to see under the brightlights and on the baseball cards. Its all very fascinating stuff forbaseball fans to ponder and think about, those none baseball fans mayfind it slightly dull but with an open mind its still a beautifulportrait of a young mans journey to America.
First off, the lead actor Algenis Perez Soto is fantastic, it isunbelievable how great his performance here is when you consider thathe has absolutely no acting experience at all. They literally pulledthis kid off a ball field in the Dominican and stuck him in front of acamera. The rest of the cast is great as well and similarly most arenot trained actors since the makers or the film wanted authenticballplayers. From whats been said this is most likely going to be a HBOrelease on TV and I think thats a great spot for this film as itsdefinitely too small and too specific a subject for a wide release. Ihighly encourage baseball fans to check this out when they get thechance.
January 23rd, 2008
Sugar is a North American baseball epic–following Miguel "Sugar"Santos from his home in the Dominican Republic to spring training inArizona, on to the minor leagues in Iowa, and . . . Algenis Soto, aDominican baseball player who is also a superb actor, is captivatingand compelling as Miguel–combining an easy-going smile with an intenseglare. But the story is about much more than baseball–it is aboutimmigration, language and cultural barriers, racism, and more thananything, Miguel's struggle to find himself. Brilliantly written anddirected by the Half Nelson team Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the storyprovides the uplifting moments and emotions typical of sports storiesbut avoids clichés or predictable directions.
February 9th, 2008
Sugar is NOT a baseball movie, it is a MASTERPIECE about one man'sjourney I think this film will suffer from the perception that it isabout baseball the same way Million Dollar Baby STILL takes a hit bybeing confused that the film is about boxing and THAT IS A SHAME!!!!Sugar is BRILLIANT on many different levels. The vignettes of humanityif seen by enough people will give this film the good word of mouth itdeserves. It was my favorite film at Sundance. The story was about thestruggle for success and the fight to make something of yourself in aland that you don't understand and doesn't understand you back. It'sabout humanity, alienation, exploitation and ultimately perseverance.It is a special story that is one of the best written films I have everwatched. Keep in mind, this film was written in English and thenre-written in Spanish by Ryan Fleck and then Anna Boden. These 2 aregoing to be around for a long time and I hope their efforts come comeclose to what they made here. a masterpiece. I stood up and applaudedat the end of the screening. All I ask is that people don't say "Ohthis is about sports, I don't want to watch a sports movie" Give thisfilm a chance and you will be touched by Sugar's magical journey.
September 19th, 2008
What's with the low ratings for this movie? I saw this at the TorontoFilm Festival, and people loved it. Is it that some audiences wanted aregular sports movie, with everything leading up to the big game? Thisfollows Dominican ball players and their dreams of making it to thebigs. We go from the Dominican to small town Iowa, then to New YorkCity in a movie that's pitch perfect the whole way. And it goteverything right, from how small towns in America watch these youngguys grow and progress, to how they're treated like animals when theyface injuries or setbacks.
The actors are mostly unknowns, and they give the movie a documentaryfeel. I especially loved the old couple that takes one ball player inevery year, and the minor league baseball manager, who is portrayedvery fairly as a guy who pushes his players, but wants to see them makeit.
This movie is a home run, pardon the pun, because it transcends thesports genre and becomes a movie about finding one's self worth, nomatter where your career path takes you.
I believe that if you want something more from a sports movie thanbeing just a past-time, you'll find it in "Sugar", from the team whodirected "Half Nelson", another movie that was more concerned withcharacters and self-worth over silly plot requirements.
To the low scorers out there I would say don't judge a movie for whatit's not, and really look at what it is. Because this is a specialmovie that never goes wrong.