Bernie Mac as Stan
Angela Bassett as Mo
Michael Rispoli as Boca
Brian J. White as T-Rex
Ian Anthony Dale as Fukuda
Evan Jones as Fryman
Amaury Nolasco as Minadeo
Dondre Whitfield as Skillet
Paul Sorvino as Gus Panas
Earl Billings as Lenny Koron
Chris Noth as Schiembri
Neil Brown Jr. as Clubhouse Assistant
Scott Brooks as Eddie Richling
Rich Komenich as Big Horse Borelli
David Devey as Gervis
Critique:
Stan Ross (Bernie Mac) is Mr. 3000. After 18 years in the Major Leagues, all with the Milwaukee Brewers, Stan gets his 3000th career hit and promptly quits, even though the Brewers are pushing for the playoffs. With sights of the baseball Hall of Fame clearly in his eyes, he opens up a series of “Mr. 3000” stores in a strip mall. The problem is that Stan is a self-centered egomaniac and almost no one, former teammates and sportswriters in particular, likes him. However, 3000 hits is a milestone and he seems sure to gain entry the 5th time he is eligible, but a statistical error is found reducing his number of hits to 2997 and reducing his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame to almost none.
Bernie Mac does a great job in portraying unlikeable people that you can feel for. Stan is a miserable person that only looks out for himself, but he seems redeemable. Angela Basset is a good counter to Mac as she plays Mo, a ESPN sports reporter that is slowly being shoved out for fresher, and younger, faces. Mo had covered Stan in his prime and they had covered each other after the games. The rest of the cast are all likable baseball stereotypes.
The rules of the game are treated pretty well, as is Stan’s comeback attempt. Baseball purists will have some snide comments about a statistical mistake being caught much quicker and aspects of the Hall of Fame voting process, but this is a light hearted comedy and some leeway can be given. The story itself is a simple one and progresses in a fairly linear fashion. Many of the jokes are fairly obvious, but they are executed well and are entertaining.
Technically, the movie is routine. Being a sports comedy, there are no big budget effects, but what effects they do have are done well. The soundtrack is a mixture of old and newer songs that blend in well with the storyline, and the cinematography is up to Hollywood standards.
Who should see this movie? Bernie Mac fans will like him here. He is as obnoxious as normal, but in a way that most people can relate to. Baseball fans should enjoy the fun the movie plays with egotistical baseball stars. If you are looking for deep insight or a lot of action, you will have to go someplace else, but if a light comedy with a little romance is what you are looking for then Mr 3000 could be for you. Overall, it is a fun fluff of a movie that is good at what it wants to be, and not much more than that.
Read more at https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/reviews/6400-mr-3000#YroH7YC5khg3BeXM.99
