2016 | USA | NR | 90 min.
Major League Baseball rookie pitcher Hopper
Gibson has talent. He also has an abusive
ex-con father (Ethan Hawke) who thinks he
should do whatever it takes to make sure that
talent isn’t wasted. When Gibson’s father makes
a sudden reappearance in his life, a case of performance-stunting
anxiety sets in for the rising
ace. Before long, a miserable record earns him
a ticket back to the minors. Struggling with the
knowledge that his father is both his most dangerous
detractor and greatest motivator, Gibson
turns to a sports psychologist (Paul Giamatti) for
guidance, and a way back to the big leagues. A
sharply incisive look at the psychological side of
professional sports, boasting powerful performances
from its lead actors, “The Phenom” engrossingly
pivots not on an athlete’s battle with
a rival team, but rather on a battle with his own
mind. In Person: Director Noah Buschel.