In 1943, while male athletes were requisitioned at the front, the owners of the baseball club avoided bankruptcy by forming the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League. By recruiting the most talented young women in the United States, they offer them the opportunity to fulfill a previously unattainable dream.
After the triumphant success of Big, director Penny Marshall presented the film A Team Unusual in 1992, again starring Tom Hanks. To answer the latter, a female team would then consist of Madonna, Geena Davis, Laurie Pett or Rosie O’Donnell. After 30 years, it’s time to release the A League Ofir Own series on Prime Video… with a few key differences!
The feature film and TV series present an attractive and heterogeneous group of young women from the four corners of the country facing a selection test for the newly formed league. Selected for the Rockford Peaches team, not far from Chicago, they discover the status of a professional athlete… and all the excesses their big city can offer.
This true story forms the common background of both productions: a war that destroys the entire world, leads to the emancipation of women and social upheaval, all because of a breathtaking sports challenge. The Peaches are truly united in the face of adversity, and the state of the league is volatile: every swing of the bat is crucial.
If it shares some lightness with the movie of the 90s, the series has chosen a format in 8 episodes, about 50 minutes. That’s why he takes the time to better develop characters and context, giving viewers a chance to discover the players off the field.
Thus, A League of Their Own explores new themes such as segregation, homosexuality, or even family pressures at the time. Focusing on these themes, Tom Hanks’s character of Jim the Alcoholic Beverages in the feature film, for example, is understated.
As for the characters, the episodes present the players with something as diverse as it is with an engaging, deep story. Carson Shaw, played by series co-creator Abby Jacobson, is a soldier’s wife who runs away from home to escape. D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place, The Bar) is Greta, a mysterious and sophisticated woman from Brooklyn, and Chante Adams (Journal for Jordan) is Max, a talented pitcher who faces a demanding and protective mother.
The trio is supported, among others, by Roberta Colindris, Priscilla Delgado and Kelly McCormack, who portray down-to-earth personalities. While Rosie O’Donnell’s cameo as an underground gay bar owner is a nice touch on the original work, the series manages to hold its own thanks to its relatable cast and its intrigue, rich and engaging.
Watch the first season of League of Your Own now on Prime Video.
Source: allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
