Keanu Reeves’ Heartbreaking R-Rated Drama Lands New Streaming Home 25 Years Later

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Keanu Reeves is famous for action movies, but a particularly sad and moving drama he starred in is now going to be available on a streaming service.

I remember when Hardball came out – it was directed by Brian Robbins, who was a big deal at Paramount back then. It’s based on a book by Daniel Coyle, and it stars Keanu Reeves as Conor O’Neill, a guy with a serious gambling problem. He owes a lot of money to some tough bookies, and to pay them back, he ends up coaching a little league baseball team in Chicago. It’s a really cool story because it’s not just about baseball; it’s about Conor helping these kids with their own struggles, and honestly, he grows as a person too. It was a surprisingly heartwarming movie!

As a big fan of sports movies, I’m thrilled to hear that Hardball is coming to Paramount+! It’s been 25 years since it first came out, and while I was recently able to watch it on Prime Video and Hoopla, those options are ending soon. Luckily, it’ll be streaming on Paramount+ starting February 1st, just before it leaves Hoopla on January 30th. I’m excited to revisit this classic!

Featuring acclaimed actors Diane Lane, John Hawkes, D.B. Sweeney, and Michael B. Jordan, the movie Hardball earned a little over $44 million when it came out, costing $32 million to make. Its release was unfortunately timed, happening only three days after the 9/11 attacks, and reviews from critics were mixed. However, audiences generally liked the R-rated drama, giving it a 70% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film Hardball arrived at a noteworthy time in Keanu Reeves’ career. Despite recently achieving success with The Matrix and preparing for its sequels, he was starting to explore different types of roles. He moved beyond action films, taking on projects like the little-seen supernatural thriller The Gift, and even a romantic drama, Sweet November, though that one wasn’t a hit.

Notably, Hardball arrived during a wave of sports movies in the 1990s and early 2000s. This era saw a variety of releases, including the Bad News Bears remake with Billy Bob Thornton, Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore, and Tin Cup starring Kevin Costner – all of which had mixed success with critics and audiences. Hardball was actually Keanu Reeves’ second sports film in a short period, following the 2000 football comedy The Replacements. Like Hardball, The Replacements received a lukewarm critical response but later gained a dedicated following through home video and television.

With the streaming debut of Hardball on Paramount+, the platform is building a collection of films starring Keanu Reeves. In addition to this new release, you can also find the popular romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, and the 2024 hit Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where Reeves voiced the character Shadow the Hedgehog. He’s expected to return as Shadow in future Sonic movies as well.

With Keanu Reeves’s involvement and the Oscars buzz surrounding Michael B. Jordan, the streaming release of Hardball is perfectly timed. This 2001 film was one of Jordan’s earliest roles, preceding his success on The Wire and leading up to his current work in Sinners. Combining Reeves’ star power, Jordan’s early performance, and a heartfelt story, Hardball has the potential to quickly become popular on Paramount+.

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2026-01-25 23:38