The Sandlot
Stream on Disney+
Runtime: 1 Hour and 42 Minutes
Rated PG
“Do you want a s’more? Some more of what?”
After moving to a new town during summer break Scotty Smalls struggles to make friends. With the help of a local baseball legend, Benny, Scotty joins a group of boys that plays baseball every day in the sandlot. One day after losing the ball they are playing with Scotty mentions he has an extra one at home. After snatching his father’s Babe Ruth signed baseball it ends up being hit into the Beast’s yard. Who is the Beast you ask? Just the meanest, biggest junk yard dog ever to roam the earth.
Themes: “You got a fireplace? Throw that hat in there.”
Baseball, summer, moving, making new friends, stepfathers, learning, the sandlot, swimming, faking, 4th of July, overcoming perceptions, integrity, friendship, growing up, talent, courage, fear, Babe Ruth, collectors items, blindness, mastiffs, getting to know your elders, legends, and heroes.
Language: “It's about time Benny. My clothes are goin' outa style.”
Name calling such as L-7 weenie, idiot, panty waste, dork, pervert, butt-sniffer, can’t hack it, and jerk.
Crap - 7 B*tch - 1 Hell - 4 Sh*t - 3 Religious Exclamation - 2
There is a scene in which two rival baseball teams insult each other. Crap, butts, farts, and all kinds of insults are used.
Stuff to be aware of: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
Grossness - Kids spit a ton when they are being introduced. The team goes to the fair and one of the characters brings chewing tobacco. After an explanation of what it is each player takes some. They then ride the tilt a whirl and all puke. The puke lands all over people.
Scariness - When a kid gets near a fence something behind is growls. A kid tries to climb a fence and is stopped because of a mean dog on the other side. When telling the story of the Beast (the mean dog) old black and white footage is shown with a huge dog tossing people around. The dog is huge and seems to be some type of very large puppet. During the story it is said that the dog ate 170 people. The Beast’s yard looks scary with arrows, bones, and old dolls scattered around. Most of the scenes where the kids are trying to get the Babe Ruth ball from the Beast’s yard is played for laughs, but could be scary for younger viewers. The large dog’s paw is seen multiple time destroying things. There is an extended scene in the movie where the Beast chases Benny through town. A fence falls on the Beast, but he is okay after it is lifted up.
Sexual - One kid (Squints) oggles over a girl slightly girl that is older then him. The camera shows her butt as she walks away. He is later made fun of for this. Playboy magazine is mentioned. A kid calls a girl he passes at the pool sexy. The boys all oogle over Wendy Peffercorn, the lifeguard. She can be seen putting suntan lotion on her legs and arms. She bends forward and some cleavage is shown. Squints later fakes drowning to get Wendy to give him mouth to mouth. He then grabs her head and kisses her, “long and good.” One character mentions another character’s sister is out in left field naked.
Other - A kid is imitating Babe Ruth by hanging something out of mouth like a cigar. One character tells another one, “you play ball like a girl.” There is some stereotypical talk periodically about girls not being good as baseball.
Overall: “You’re killing me Smalls!”
A classic that us in the 80s grew up with. Sadly, it does have a little language in it, but it is still one I made sure my kids saw. Laugh out loud funny and lots of heart.