Eephus (2024) – Review

Quick Thoughts:

• Grade – A
• Director, editor, producer, and co-writer Caron Lund has crafted a laidback and poignant comedy
• The various vignettes are delightful and I like the way each player gets a moment to shine
• There’s a bit about a meatball pitch that’s more like an“entire Italian dinner” that might be my favorite movie moment of 2025
• I love it. 

I taught English in South Korea in the late 2000s and one of the best decisions I ever made was to join the local soccer club made up of a cavalcade of rogues from all over the world. Skill-wise, I was the least experienced person on the team, but I could run up and down the field for 90 minutes which annoyed many of the out-of-shape (but more skilled at playing soccer) people I played against. There’s something about semi-athletic people coming together to play sports that can create lifelong friendships and memories (and broken fingers), and Eephus reminded me of my time on the soccer field. 

Directed, written, edited and produced by Carson Lund, Eephus is an immersive and atmospheric “ambient comedy” that is more concerned with mood than the score of the baseball game being played. The film eschews the traditional three-act structure and instead follows the final baseball game being played on a rec-league field that will soon be home to an elementary school. The term “Eephus” is the name for a doozy of a pitch that hangs in the air for so long that it effectively warps the batter’s perception of time, place and reality. There’s nothing mystical about it, it’s just a slow pitch that somehow moves faster than expected. It’s a perfect metaphor for the movie as the 99-minutes fly-by despite it not being in a hurry. 

While non-baseball fans will appreciate the experience, the movie plays well for people who are familiar with the charms of baseball and know that it’s punctuated by a lot of downtime and the occasional burst of excitement. During the nine innings, there is plenty of time for people watching, hot dog eating, beer drinking, and soaking up the ambiance of the game. There is something nice about buying outfield tickets and settling in for the long haul. Lund (who plays rec-league baseball) understands this, so he poured a lot of time and energy into creating an authentic home run. 

Eephus is justifiably being hailed as a “hangout” masterpiece, but it took a lot of work to make it seem so chill. Carson and his brother Erik (who worked as the art director, production designer and co-creator of the score)  scouted over 100 baseball fields in the New England area so they could create the “insular and isolated” atmosphere needed. The field has seen better days (like the players) but the worn grass and battered running lanes showcase the field’s personality and make it a supporting character. Erik Lund also put a lot of work into the costumes as each player’s jersey comes from a different era of the rec-league – so even though their shirts have the same team name, they are all different and unique. Cinematographer Greg Tango didn’t have it easy either as the film is mostly reliant on natural light and takes place over one day, so everyone on set had to pay attention to where the sun was and what scene took place during that time. Also, the sound mix must’ve been insane as sound mixer Joe Fiorillo ran up to 12 independent channels during the production to capture the natural sounds of the field and the quips being let loose by the players. Toss in rain delays, actor’s schedules, and field maintenance and the entire crew went through a lot to create a relaxing experience.

The loose plot revolves around a baseball game between the Riverdogs and Adler’s Paint. The two squads are made up of players between the ages of 25ish and 65ish, who can either crank home runs or need a stool to sit on so they can be the catcher for more than one inning. The men are competitive, but they aren’t raunchy, and when a rude reference is made about a player’s girlfriend, it isn’t taken well. They complain about “meatball” pitches and drink too much Narragansett beer, and the only thing they agree on is that the worst part of the game is the running. Bystanders come and go, a pizza vendor shows up and admits that he’s tired of the pizza business, and another man waxes poetic about hot dogs. There are hecklers, families and a nice guy named Franny (Cliff Blake) who logs the stats for each game. The 1990s setting isn’t too noticeable and it gives it a nice old-school vibe that benefitted movies like the Richard Linklater-directed Dazed and Confused and Everybody Wants Some!!.

If you’re looking for an inventive and endearing movie I recommend you check out Eephus in theaters or when it’s available for rental. You won’t regret it and you’ll find yourself wanting to talk about meatball pitches that feel more like an entire Italian dinner.