Amazon.com reviews "The Comrades of Summer"

Here is a little known baseball flick from 1992. It was called The Comrades of Summer and it tells the story of an American who goes to Russia to coach some Olympic hopefuls.

The film is not available on DVD, but you can get a VHS copy for less than the cost of a newspaper. (By the way, I mean less than a regular newspaper. It should be way less than a Sunday paper. Is should, however, cost a bit more than one of those free newspapers that they give out in the grocery store.)

If you do want to get a copy the best place to look is Amazon.com.

Amazon is also full of info about the film.

Let's take a look:

Plot Synopsis: To teach a team of Russian wanna-be baseball players the finer points of the all-American game is no easy task, but for a grudgingly resentful, recently fired baseball manager from the States, the task is formidable. In fact, there are many times when he considers chucking the whole thing and going back home and forgetting baseball entirely. But he perseveres... to the point where he finally believes that his players may be good enough to represent the Soviet Union in the upcoming Olympics in America. However, performing in this Country under such pressures not only shows these Russian players something about themselves, it also makes their American manager aware of something rather special about himself, as well.

The times where he considered "chucking the whole thing and going back home and forgetting baseball entirely" were sad. But when he persevered "to the point where he finally believes that his players may be good enough to represent the Soviet Union in the upcoming Olympics in America" the movie was lot of fun.

When playing in America showed the Russian players "something about themselves" and when that something made the American manager "aware of something rather special about himself, as well" I cried like a baby... or at least like those two backyard wrestlers who jumped off the room through a folding table.

Stupid backyard wrestlers.

Anyway, lets take a look at what the Amazon USERS had to say about Comrades of Summer.

"Vlad" from Las Vegas writes:

Come on guys ! This one was very funny ! Joe Mantegna teaching baseball to Russians ?! In Russia !? I am already louphing !
And some of the russians get offended ??? It is a comedy , with using GROTESQUE at it's best ! The " russian party " , after winning a game against cubans ( the fact itself - russians beat cubans in baseball , already hilarious ), when they drink vodka out of the bottles , than everybody sleeping and snoring ! Isn't it already a clue for you - it is A comedy . And it is a good one .

Teaching to Russians?! In Russia?! No WONDER his is louphing. I would have loughed too, but there were chicks in the room and I hate to louph in mixed company.

Hey, wanna hear a joke? Russians beat Cubans in baseball.

Hysterical, huh? I can use GROTESQUE at it's best.


The next reviewer is "taxdude" from Washington D.C (note to self, have John Kerry joke ready - just in case.)

a fun movie. my biggest problem was with joe mantegna...i just couldn't picture him as a baseball player. i'm a huge baseball fan, and think you would like this film more if you are not really into baseball, but just have a general knowledg of the game. it certainly wasn't a "good" movie but it has funny scenes, and is playful. certainly not in the league of other baseball movies, though.

I liked it, maybe I need more knowledg. Maybe I just like "playful" movies. And kittens. I like playful kittens.

Next up is "A Viewer" who writes:

This is not the greatest movie of all time, but whenever it replays on HBO, I can't NOT watch. Joe Mantegna is great in this, and it has a wonderful, sappy appeal. Why are movies about baseball so good, and the sport itself so booooring?

The sport is boring because Russians never beat Cubans. If they did it would keep all the fans louphing.

The final review is from "A Viewer" I assume it's a different viewer because this guy just likes movies where people jump over things. Take a look:

This is the best movie of all time. Watch for the guy who jumps about 30 feet after hitting a home run with his mom watching. And when Boris cleares a 20 foot fense to catch a foul ball and falls 30 feet to the concrete and still holds on to the ball. This is the most realistic movie ever!!!

I have a feeling this review was written by Super Mario. If only he mentioned that he likes "jumping over barrels" I would be sure.

Unfortunately, that is not the only thing that confuses me. I also have been told by A Viewer that this is "not the greatest movie of all time" but then A Viewer also told me "This is the best movie of all time."

I think my head might explode, my brain is so conflicted. I better make sure not to louph. That could kill me. Uh oh. I just thought of Cubans beating Russians.

Hahahahahaha!

HELP!