Catching Hell

2011 "The true story of baseball's most famous scapegoat"
7.9| 1h45m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 27 September 2011 Released
Producted By: Jigsaw Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

After the Chicago Cubs blow an opportunity to reach the World Series in 2003, Cubs fans blame the team's misfortune on fellow fan Steve Bartman, who interfered with a foul ball and prevented Moises Alou from making a catch.

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Reviews

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film
MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting
Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
pepe4u22 I found this documentary moving and very poignant..The link between Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman intriguing. I watched this show after coming home from a local hockey game and as I was watching this documentary the behaviour of crowds that i had just dealt with appalled me as did the actions of the people towards Bartman. It has made me question whether if at sporting events people are either has-been, never were been or wish beens and living their lives through this sports maybe should awaken and understand that it is just a game it is entertainment and one should see it as so..and yes the sun will come up tomorrow..I recommend this show be played often dealing with young athletes to the parents to the overzealous to see how their shortsighted actions hurt others.
MartinHafer I am not exactly the sort of guy to watch a documentary from ESPN. I am not a sports fan any more--and a bit of it relates to the subject of this film. The notion of scapegoating folks for losses in the World Series has always baffled me. While I noticed that the film only focused on recent scapegoats, I was very interested in seeing how the film dealt with Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman--two guys who took a lot of heat from unreasonable fans who got angrier at these guys than the average American felt towards Hitler during WWII!! Talk about needing to get a little perspective! As far as the film goes, it's about as good as any you can find on the topic. And, once again, it makes you feel terrible for these guys. In the case of Buckner, a couple bad games seemed to have undone an excellent major league career. And with Bartman, it was amazing how folks literally talked of killing a guy just because he reached out to grab a foul ball! Well worth seeing--and hopefully films like this will get folks to stop and think a bit.
metalrox_2000 Im not sure how ESPN goes about choosing those who direct the documentaries in the 30 for 30 series, but they always seem to find the best.The documentary is as much about Bartman as it is the overall reaction of long suffering Cubs fans. Add in the description of how the Cubs securities forces got Steve Bartman out of there alive, and you have a fast moving, very entertaining and informative docudrama.And there is plenty of new light shed on the infamous incident. Testimonies from fans that sat near Bartman (many of whom sympathize with the hapless Cubs fan) and learning that Bartman was actually at the game with friends was interesting. However, this pails in comparison when there is focus on the little league team (whose sweater Bartman was wearing that night) that Bartman was coaching at the time, and those young ball players support of their coach.If anyone comes out the villain, it's the arrogant Cubs fan who left his seats in the nose bleed section to yell at Bartman, a man who to this day admits that he'd do it again, and blames Bartman for the Cubs lose.Moises Alou doesn't come off too good at all. Alou comes off arrogant, and dismissive of the suffering that Bartman went through. Even with Alou's thick accent, you can tell that he still deep down blames Steve Bartman for the Cubs never making it to the world series.This film not only manages to shed tons of new details on the incident, but also manages to have the viewer walk away wanting to buy Steve Bartman a beer and pat him on the back, instead of crucifying him.And maybe that's what the Cubs (and their fans) need to do. It's time for the Cubs to forgive Steve Bartman the way the Red Sox forgave Bill Buckner.PS It was interesting to know that Buckner was wearing a Cubs batting glove on his hand when he missed the bunt from Mookie Wilson.
witster18 I've seen most, but not all of the 30 for 30's. This one is a masterpiece.There is a human element here that is very powerful, very emotional. What happened to Steve Bartman could have happened to anyone... to whomever purchased the ticket for that particular seat in Wrigley field. Those who say they wouldn't have reached for the ball are either liars or they fall in the 5% of fans that have such an understanding of fan-interference and the game, such the restraint, that they might, and I mean might, hesitate or know better.... The film's parallel's between Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman are amazing. Buckner's story is no less heartbreaking, and at least we get to hear from him. For Bartman, for Chicago, the play goes on.The small stories from journalists, historians, ball-players, ministers, security guards, and fans are gut-wrenching and poignant.I sat there with my jaw on the floor for the last hour.The scene where the media asked the first question at the press conference for Bill Buckner's return to fenway.... the fact that Bartman has not used a credit card since the incident.... Bartman's reaction to the guy from ESPN who tried to get an interview after tracking him down....This film really shows how cruel we can be...It's all the little connections... the curse of the goat... the scapegoat... the Leon Durham situation... and it's all of the tiny stories about the hours following the incident and the home-video footage from different sources... breaking down the play.... this was an incredible documentary...It took me back to when it happened, and thrust the human race back to the middle ages...Hopefully this film will make Cubs fans, and fans around the world re-evaluate what it means to be a fan, and re-evaluate the definition of 'sport', 'sportsmanship', and 'humanity'.91/100Congratulations Jim Cuthbert.. you're an (*^$%()!$%Bartman's absence from the documentary(other than the replays) - only adds to the power of the story. Can't wait for the 30 for 30 box set.