"Sugar" is the rare sports film that has more going for it beyond the field (4.25/5)

If you know me well enough, you'd probably know that I'm a huge baseball fan. So, going in to "Sugar" my bias was probably already working in the film's favor. Yet, what was most interesting about "Sugar" is that it was less about the game of baseball than it was about getting into the game, as well as the risks that come with such an occupation. The film follows Miguel 'Sugar' Santos (Algenis Perez Soto), a Dominican baseball player working his way from the Dominican League to the Major Leagues. Yes, it seems like your basic rags to riches story, but it really isn't. Instead, writers/directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are more focused on the pitfalls of reaching for a lofty dream, as they tackle the issues that come up when foreign born players try to assimilate into a new culture while attempting to hedge the pressure of maintaining a roster spot. In the case of Sugar, his story begins in the Dominican League where he is pitching considerably well, having fun, and most importantly his family and friends are always within reach. But, for most athletes the dream is to always reach the pinnacle of their respective sports and Sugar is no different. If he could reach the apex, then he would be able to not only provide for himself, but also his family back home.

So, with some initial trepidation, Sugar finds himself picked up by a major league team and designated to the Minor Leagues (Class A). With this, Sugar goes from the Dominican to the beautiful (maybe) land of Iowa. Despite being assigned to a host family, Sugar faces many challenges upon his entrance in the United States. Obviously cultural differences are a huge obstacle, but the most pressing issue right off the bat (no pun intended) is the language barrier. Knowing very little English, Sugar has a hard time communicating with both his host family and American teammates. Fortunately for Sugar, he has a handful of friends from the Dominican on his team that initially allow for an easier transition. This gives Sugar a sense of ease which ends up being pivotal in his great start for his new team. Yet, as the season progresses, Sugar's friends disappear (some are cut, some are promoted) and he struggles to regain the form he originally had, leaving his confidence in shambles with no one in sight to help him pick up the pieces. Feeling that his spot on the team is slipping away, Sugar bolts from the team and begins a pilgrimage to New York, where he hopes he can find some semblance of a future.

It's from this point on that the film becomes a rarity as it affectionately provides a voice for the Dominican ( or Latino) baseball player, as well as becomes a study on expecations lost and furthers the examination on cultural intergration. This unheralded perspective carries emotional heft, as it demonstrates the high expectations for and from latino players, and the trials of trying to fit into an unforgiving culture. This idea is further exacerbated at the end when the film brings in real, former Latino baseball players who have succumbed to the issues that plague foreign born players. Both Fleck and Boden are able to convey these issues within their story with great discipline and subtlety. Instead of relying on big, flashy scenes, they let the emotions gestate in Sugar through quiet moments, as he is placed against the vast, but empty Iowa backdrop. Credit also must be given to Fleck and Boden for casting Soto in the role of Sugar. With this being Soto's first film, one would assume he wouldn't be able to completely demonstrate the constant emotions working in Sugar, but that isn't the case. Soto comes off as a veteran, as he gives Sugar a humble air that evokes empathy for the titular character.

Even though the film creates a rather bleak picture for Latino players who end up moving to the United States, Boden and Fleck do a great job keeping the film filled with genuine humor to ensure the subject matter isn't too heavy. Some of the humor may come at the expense of Sugar's cultural transition, but much of it is in good fun. In addition to this, Boden and Fleck also construct the baseball scenes with great vigor. Not only are they fun to watch, especially when it involves Soto generating chemistry with his fellow actors, but they're wonderfully orchestrated as a means to expose Sugar's character and demeanor. With enjoyable moments on the field and well developed strife off it, "Sugar" is a baseball film that goes beyond the chalk lines. It's a film that adequately captures the many challenges a foreign born athlete could face when they leave their countries with ambition and dreams in hand, while attempting to land a roster spot and some footing in an alien culture.