Andrea’s Angle | “It Ain’t Over” – Superb Depiction of a Cultural Icon
For me, I’d heard the name Yogi Berra, and I certainly knew of his association with baseball, but I wanted to watch this film to learn more about the man. Yogi Berra (Lawrence Berra) was a cultural icon but not as well known for his skills as he should have been. After watching this superb depiction of this pivotal figure in baseball history, I can say we should all learn more about him, and this film will teach you about his contributions and what a beautiful person Yogi Berra was.
It Ain’t Over is a documentary written and directed by Sean Mullin about Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra, one of baseball’s greatest players of all time. Amassing ten World Series rings, 3 MVP awards, and 18 All-Star Game appearances, he also caught the only perfect game in World Series history. Yet, his stature was often overshadowed by his unique and colorful personality, TV commercials, and unforgettable “Yogi-isms”, philosophical nuggets of wisdom. In this documentary, it depicts and gives Berra his long overdue acknowledgment of the savvy catcher, powerhouse hitter, but also a D-Day veteran, loving husband, and father. Ultimately, even if you aren’t a baseball fan or think you know who Berra is, you’ll come away learning about this impressive man.
This documentary does an excellent job of providing viewers with a balanced view of Lawrence “Yogi” Berra. Part of the reason that it is so well written is that it is made with the assistance of interviews with Berra’s granddaughter Lindsay Berra along with interviews with his sons. His family lovingly depicts what Berra was like both on the diamond and off. Not only does his family weigh in on his life’s work and his history, but we also hear from former Yankee teammates, players he managed, writers, broadcasters, and even admirers such as actor Billy Crystal. These interviews give us a solid understanding of this great man.
Beyond the interviews, the documentary has a fantastic blend of material to help viewers understand this cultural icon and understand who the person was besides the legend we may have heard of. In the film, the writer uses a mix of old footage to shine a light on Berra’s accomplishments. That footage is a blend of news clips, broadcasts of games, interviews with Berra and his wife Carmen, commercials, plus photos both of Berra on and off the baseball diamond. We get treated to the history of where and how he grew up, how he became the skilled baseball catcher he was, how he met his wife and love of his life Carmen, and his career both as a player as well as a manager and a leader. In between these bits of footage, we also get treated to the many philosophical sayings that were attributed to him over the years, both real comments and ones that were created but that might not have been him at all. These clips of “Yogi-isms” add to the history and accomplishments of the man, adding depth and understanding of his unique personality and his humble wisdom.
I think one of the other reasons this film is so dynamic is that it does not rely on the viewer knowing who Lawrence Berra is. Rather the interviewees explain details of baseball and Berra’s role so that anyone can enjoy the documentary. It uses humor and Berra’s own words to illustrate his personality and his indomitable spirit. It certainly doesn’t hurt that everyone who speaks of him does so with passion and love. Not just his family adored him but also all the men he worked with and the younger players he managed and mentored. His wisdom and spirit resonate throughout this film.
If you love documentaries, this is one of the best I’ve seen. If you love baseball, I especially recommend this film. I like baseball and really enjoyed learning all these little details about Lawrence Berra that I had not known, including just how skilled a catcher and player he was and how pivotal he was to the fame of the Yankees. Anyone who truly loves the sport will enjoy this movie as it brings you back to the glory days of baseball and a superb depiction of a cultural icon who was arguably one of the best players of all time with unparalleled accomplishments and one of the biggest hearts around, supporting not just other players but disenfranchised communities.
5 out of 5 Yogisms.
Official Website: It Ain’t Over | Sony Pictures Classics
Twitter: @itaintoverdoc
Facebook: @itaintoverdoc
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It Aint’t Over
Genre: Documentary
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra is one of baseball’s greatest. He amassed ten World Series rings, 3 MVP awards and 18 All-Star Game appearances. He caught the only perfect game in World Series history. Yet for many his deserved stature was overshadowed by his simply being himself and being recognized more for his unique personality, TV commercial appearances and unforgettable “Yogi-isms,” initially head-scratching philosophical nuggets that make a lot more sense the more you think about them. In telling the whole story, IT AIN’T OVER gives Berra his due in following the life of a savvy, commanding, bad-ball hitting catcher with a squat frame but also a D-Day veteran, loving husband and father and, yes, product endorser and originator (mostly) of his own brand of proverbs now ingrained into everyday life. Granddaughter Lindsay Berra tells his story along with his sons, former Yankee teammates, players he managed, writers, broadcasters, and admirers (such as Billy Crystal), plus photos and footage on and off the diamond. Berra famously said, “I’d be pretty dumb if I started being something I’m not,” and IT AIN’T OVER lovingly makes clear he stayed who he was for the benefit of baseball and everyone else.
IT AIN’T OVER is playing in select cities and opens in Phoenix on May 19, 2023.
ONE-LINER: An intimate and revealing portrait of a largely misunderstood American icon, this emotional and engaging documentary about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the caricatures and “Yogisms,” and into the heart of a sports legend whose unparalleled accomplishments on the baseball diamond were often overshadowed by his off-the-field persona.
