Critics’ reviews

A League of Their Own (1992)

10 reviews from 10 publications. We need six from publications we count before we show a critics’ score; there are 4 so far.

Back to our review of A League of Their Own

4 of 6
Positive
2
Mixed
0
Negative
2
The Guardian
9 March 2022
80*

The critic calls Penny Marshall's film a terrifically warm, heartfelt and effortlessly entertaining baseball picture that stands the test of time. They single out the outstanding performances, particularly Geena Davis and Tom Hanks, along with the glorious corn-fed montages of life on the road.

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Empire
· Angie Errigo
75*

The film delivers a mostly winning mix of sassy humour and sentiment through strong performances, particularly from Tom Hanks and Geena Davis, and lively period recreations. It succeeds as light comedy about camaraderie more than as a baseball story.

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The Independent
19 September 1992
35*

The critic finds the premise promising but the execution overly sentimental and mushy. Opening scenes and performances by Geena Davis and Tom Hanks are noted positively, but the director is faulted for weak character development and an overly emotional ending.

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The New Yorker
6 July 1992 · Michael Sragow
30*

The review criticizes the film for lacking originality and pandering to audiences with manipulative sentimentality and obvious plotting, despite its promising subject.

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Los Angeles Times
1 July 1992 · Kenneth Turan

The critic finds the comedy concept pleasing and well-executed for most of the runtime but faults the film for succumbing to excessive sentimentality and unconvincing emotional resolutions in the final innings.

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RogerEbert.com
1 July 1992 · Roger Ebert

The critic praises the film for its fresh take on women's roles and liberation during WWII, noting the bittersweet charm and strong performances amid familiar sports movie tropes.

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The Hollywood Reporter
· Duane Byrge

The critic calls the film an extra-base hit that appeals to fans of all ages. Penny Marshall's spirited direction is singled out for praise, along with strong performances from the cast including Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna.

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The New York Times
1 July 1992 · NYT Critic’s Pick · Vincent Canby

The film is hailed as one of the year's most cheerful and enjoyable comedies, a light yet serious take on a forgotten piece of baseball history with strong feminist undertones.

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Time Out
22 March 2012 · CM

This fictionalised account of the All American Girls' Professional Baseball League captures heartbreaks and home runs but little vigour overall. Marshall piles on the sentiment in framing sequences and the script neglects the ensemble, emphasising historical occasion over character development.

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Variety
31 December 1991 · Variety Staff

The review notes the film is awash in sentimentality and only occasionally humorous, praising Geena Davis's central performance and the fresh subject while criticizing contrived plotting, obvious comedy, and hokiness.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate