MORAL OF THE MOVIE

It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice. Certain athletes transcend the sport and have effects on people much bigger than the sports themselves. Roberto Clemente was one of these athletes. He lead both on the field as one of the greatest baseball players of all time and off the field as a selfless humanitarian.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS MOVIE

This is a movie best fit for classic baseball fans (especially, if you’re a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and/or Puerto Rican) and those who are inspired by real-life people. Also, if you are often moved by storylines driven by the relationship between brothers, then this movie will hit you right in the feels.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

In honor of today’s MLB celebration of Roberto Clemente Day, I’m reviewing Chasing 3000 (suggested by my godfather @pedrogonzalez2174 ) that focuses on two brothers’ journey to see Clemente’s 3000th hit. While the movie has its flaws, it is rather enjoyable and the best moments are the stories when Roberto Clemente is mentioned. The sequences that had to do with the movie’s story and journey were actually the weaker parts because they often fell flat. As a Puerto Rican, I may be biased, but I would often get chills anytime Clemente was mentioned in a story or featured in the montage sequences and that’s where I got the majority of the movie’s morals and enjoyment. The film showcases how one person can have an incredible reach in positively impacting people’s lives across an entire nation. I like to think that one’s character is measured not by what they say or do, but by their effect on others. Roberto Clemente was a testament to that and this movie puts a spotlight on that larger-than-life-itself character that Clemente radiated. Clemente once said, “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”. Nowadays, many athletes actively participate in philanthropic work in order to “be more than an athlete”, and that’s a nod to Clemente’s legacy and philosophy. As mentioned before, the best parts are when the audience is shown the incredible effect that the great Roberto Clemente has had on these characters not only through his playing ability but also through his essence as a good person. Therein lies the true moral of the movie for me as it shows the potential that we all have to positively impact other people’s lives. 47 years after his death, Roberto Clemente still represents the best of us and the potential that we all have. Thanks Roberto Clemente for who you were and showing us who we can be!