Summaries

When a boy prays for a chance to have a family if the California Angels win the pennant, angels are assigned to make that possible.

Roger, who has lost his mother, is living separated from his father. As he and his friend J.P. are fans of the California Angels baseball team, he has got only two dreams: living together with a real family and seeing the Angels winning the Pennant.—Volker Boehm

Roger Bowman lives in a foster home with his best friend, J.P., but when his dad comes to visit him, a little bit of hope grows back into his heart about him going back to live with his dad. But his hopes suddenly die down when his dad says that they can be a family again when his favorite baseball team, the California Angels, win the pennant, but they are in last place in their division. So Roger prays to Heaven and ask if the angels up there can help them win the pennant so Roger can have the family that he always wanted, and because of his prayer, he just might.—nick_z13

The California Angels are currently the worst team in their division. It seems that they have a little trouble with their teamwork. Manager George Knox would like nothing better than to dump all of them, which the owner, Hank, says is impossible. Roger is a boy whose mother died and is currently living in a foster home with his best friend, J.P.. His father feels that it would probably be in Roger's best interest if he becomes a ward of the state. But Roger would rather get back together with him, and when he asks him if that is possible, his reply is "when the Angels win the pennant". Roger then prays and asks if they could help them. When he goes to a game, he sees some angels come down from the sky and help the players make some astounding catches and hits. When he tells George about it, he decides to keep him at every game, and it seems that his faith is put to the test because it seems that the Angels are going to help if he uses his worst players, but it seems to be working.[email protected]

Details

Keywords
  • remake
  • boy
  • friendship between boys
  • angel
  • foster home
Genres
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy
  • Drama
  • Family
  • Sport
Release date Jul 14, 1994
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) PG
Countries of origin United States
Official sites Official site
Language English
Filming locations Angel Stadium of Anaheim - 2000 Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, California, USA
Production companies Walt Disney Pictures Caravan Pictures

Box office

Budget $24000000
Gross US & Canada $50236831
Opening weekend US & Canada $8916463
Gross worldwide $50236831

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 42m
Color Color
Sound mix Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Synopsis

Young foster child Roger Bomman and his friend, J.P., love to sneak into baseball games of the struggling California Angels. Still in limited contact with his widowed father, Roger asks when they will be a family again. His father replies sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words literally, he prays for God to help the Angels win. In a game against the Toronto Blue Jays which Roger and J.P. attend, he sees a group of angels led by Al helping the team. Although he can see them quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads their skeptical manager George Knox to keep him around as a good luck charm and consultant. Due to the much-needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division.

Roger's father permanently gives up custody of him, believing it's in Roger's best interest. As Roger laments his loss, an equally distraught J.P. accidentally reveals to antagonistic sportscaster Ranch Wilder that Roger has the ability to see angels, and that George has been winning through the advice Roger gave him. Hoping to destroy George's career in baseball due to a long-time mutual hatred between them, Wilder informs the press of this, and their owner Hank Murphy threatens to relieve George of his management responsibilities. Roger comes clean to his caretaker Maggie Nelson about his special ability, and at a press conference, they and the entire team defend George in front of the press. Moved by their faith, Murphy allows him to remain as the Angels' manager.

During the final game of the season against the rival Chicago White Sox, none of the angels show up to help the team. Later on, Al appears to Roger and explains that championships must be decided without the angels' intervention. He also says that he is there to check on pitcher Mel Clark, who only has 6 months to live due to his years of smoking and will become an angel himself. Mel struggles in the ninth inning but perseveres after encouragement from George, his team, and the fans in attendance. The Angels ultimately win the game on their own and clinch the division title and the pennant, while Wilder is fired for his denigration of the team. George adopts Roger and J.P., as he wants to try to be a father. J.P. sees Al and says, "I knew it could happen." Al flies off and says, "We're always watching".

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