Blessed! Still We Believe 2 / 2008 Arts Alliance America / 110 Minutes / http://www.artsallianceamerica.com /
Blessed! discusses the journey taken by Mike Barnicle and Chris Wertz, both differently in terms of geography, friends, and events. This movie shows the focus, and the dedication, of the faithful Red Sox fans that wished so much to have another championship under their team’s belt. Ultimately, this did become true, and this 70 minute feature shows the increasing tension felt by both individuals throughout the season. Barnicle’s side of the story is a little more interesting than Wertz, because of the fact that Barnicle has access to all of the important individuals in the Red Sox organization. This means that there are conversations, both in the film and placed on the DVD as bonus features, with both former and active Red Sox players, other columnists close to the team, and with individuals charged with running the team.
There are some high points during the segments featuring Wertz, however: at one point during “Blessed!â€, Wertz and buddies go to eir bar – Professor Thom’s, a Red Sox-leaning bar in Manhattan – and has individuals go forth and provide commentary to the Red Sox game that was occurring that night. While the length may seem a little short, I feel that this film did not need two or more hours to tell its story; with only one season covered, and the curse seemingly broken, there is not that sense of urgency that was present before the Red Sox won their first pennant in generations. However, this does not mean this is a weak film, as it shows that the Red Sox nation will survive even after the bandwagon fans start to dissipate.
The tour of Fenway that is provided on this DVD as an additional feature gives Blessed! further value. I would recommend this film to anyone that is a fan of the Red Sox or of baseball in general. The film has historical value as it provides a specific point that is really a sea change for fans of the team. Hopefully Bombo Sports and Entertainment (along with their distrubtor, Arts Alliance America) will be able to continue releasing sports documentaries of this high of caliber. Hell, if there was this much fun in baseball, how about a film about curling, or of countless other sports (jai-alai) that are not as central to American culture. With the quality of this film, I believe that all involved could create another solid, interesting film.
Rating: 7.0/10
