A bunch of kids who live on the wrong side of the tracks in a Florida town want to play baseball. But the only decent baseball field is on the "right" side of the tracks where the rich people live. The kids can only play there if they join a league, which means getting a coach.They pay an older man in their neighborhood (who turns out to be a drunk) to be their coach, and he reneges on the deal without giving their money back.Then, at the last minute, a mysterious man (Burt Reynolds) wanders into the dug-out on the baseball field.He is unshaven, dirty, and doesn't say a word.When the man in charge of the field shows up, the kids tell him that the mysterious stranger is their coach. The man says okay, and the kids start playing with some other kids.Finally, the mysterious stranger offers them tips on playing the game. It turns out he not only knows baseball, but can hit a 95 mph fast ball.The rest of the movie concerns his helping the kids with their personal problems, including giving some good old-fashioned beat-downs to the neighborhood bullies and the abusive father of one of the kids.One of the kids plays match-maker, getting the coach to date his single mom.All in all, this is a heart-warming movie with a message: It's not what you have or what you are, but who you are (your character) that really counts in life.The kids are charming and fun, so it is easy to sympathize with them while they confront life's problems.In the end, it turns out that the mysterious stranger is an amnesiac who has a very high position in his former life.He leaves to go back to his old life, but doesn't stay away long. He has found his true family in these kids and in this humble neighborhood on the "wrong" side of the tracks.This movie is obviously not a high-budget feature, and a lot of questions about the man's former life are not answered.But if you don't mind these minor flaws, this is a wonderful movie.Burt Reynolds does a great job (he produced the movie); so do all the other actors, the writers, and everyone else involved in making this film.It's nice to see a movie that promotes "family values" while still portraying the world realistically.

I love Reba McIntire and Burt Reynolds, and they did a beautiful job showing love,friendship, respect, trust, and loyalty in this movie. This movie should also teach all of us not to judge someone by the way they look on the outside, it's what God has in store inside that counts. What an awesome family movie! We need more movies like this that show also, that it's not having money or an important job that matters, it's family and your friends and neighbors. Burt Reynolds should be given so much credit for using the kids in his acting studio, and for truly showing how much in real life as well as in the movie how much he deeply cares for each one of these kids. You could see the love in his eyes and face for each boy in that movie. Reba is just as awesome as usual. She keeps her Christian faith in everything she does and it shows. Thank you and God Bless you both.

You might shed a tear, and the film has it's points, but Mr Reynolds have definitely done better. Not too bad a TV-movie, but the ending is oddly shortened and has scenes that are put in there to tie it all together I guess, in a hurry! Kids from the poor side of town want to play baseball, but need a coach. Burt turns up as if sent by God, in the shape of a bum that has lost his memory. The kids help their new coach and the new coach help the kids in return. And this is another small problem I have with the movie. The help the coach is giving is like a text book of possible problems kids from the age of 7 to 14 might have: parental issues, gang related problems, etc., most of them swiftly solved by force. Reba is swell, and does the job as one of the kids mom, and the kids are not bad at all.

Heretofore a paucity of made-for-TV movies snatched our attention, tickled our fancy, or caressed our hearts. The avid TV viewer scoffs at the small screen's ability to spawn reputable high quality cinema. "The Man From Left Field" lays this stigma to irreversible waste. Nothing prepares you for this breathtaking tour de force and the sheer brilliance that it exudes. Shot on location in the tropical xanadu of Jupiter, Florida and the adjacent almost-paradise Indiantown, the very setting mesmerizes from the get-go leaving you vulnerable to sensory overload before the first commercial! Film legend Burt Reynolds delivers an epic performance that shakes the foundations of your soul. Country diva Reba McEntire's crossover debut establishes her as one of today's leading ladies and no one could fill the role of antagonist like football guru Joe Theisman. His athletic notoriety is a testament to this film's artistic credibility. No movie has ever before tackled the sensitive issue of retrograde memory loss like "The Man." Reynolds' portrayal of a wandering transient amnesiac is so bone-chillingly real you'll curse the Emmys for passing him over. Few films can simultaneously split your sides, draw your tears, and strum power chords on your heart strings like this one. See the majestic triumph of "The Man From Left Field" and let your spirit soar!