Sugar (2008)

Sugar (2008)

A thoroughly entertaining sports drama that isn't just for baseball fans

7.0

Movie

Dominican Republic, United States of America
English, Italian, Spanish
Drama
2008
ANNA BODEN, FEMALE DIRECTOR
Algenis Perez Soto, Alina Vargas, Andre Holland
114 min

What it's about

Like many young men in the Dominican Republic, 19-year-old Miguel "Sugar" Santos dreams of winning a slot on an American baseball team. Indeed, his talents as a pitcher eventually land him a slot on a single-A team in Iowa, but culture shock, racism and other curveballs threaten to turn Sugar's dream sour.

The take

19-year-old Dominican pitcher Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, dreams of making it into an American baseball team and pulling himself and his family out of poverty. He gets a chance to train for a team in Kansas, but on arrival struggles to be accepted in his new community.

Poignant and beautifully performed, Sugar is not the usual film about chasing the American dream, and it’s far from a typical baseball movie. It’s an honest portrayal, one that avoids sports-movie clichés in favor of an exploration of identity and the immigrant experience.

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