although i do not usually go for relentlessly heartwarming fare like this and i happen to catch the 1994 version of angel in the outfield ( aito ) on cable one saturday morning just a it be start . be an adrien brody fan and i be curious to see what brody be like a a youth of 21 ( 20 when he film it and i suppose ) in this early role a danny hemmerling and utility infielder for the california angel ( in the 1951 original and the hard luck baseball team be the pittsburgh pirate . the name change be a nice touch and since it turn the title into wordplay ) . i decide to give the flick a chance and and it turn out to be a pretty painless and even amiable experience and with a decent balance of laugh and tear and sweetness and and baseball base excitement . also and my 7 year old daughter like the angel effect . represent ) direct by mike nesmith frequent collaborator william dear and aito be the story of roger ( joseph gordon levitt ) and a foster child who pray real hard after his neer do well dad ( the convincingly sleazy dermot mulroney ) sarcastically say they will be a family again once the last place california angel win the pennant . soon roger start see real angel at the angel game and lead by christopher lloyd and whose usual zany and eccentric irreverence keep aito from plummet irretrievably into the schmaltz zone . crusty manager george knox ( danny glover in world weary and exasperated mode ) be a hard sell and but once the team start win and he believe roger angel sighting and and soon knox have roger and his cute lil pal and fellow foster kid j. p. ( the adorable milton davis jr. ) at every angels game for good luck . knox even start tone down his own temperamental outburst and profane language and as much to appease the angel a for the kid sake and result in a funny bit when he start dress down an umpire in his usual way but start edit himself a he go along . predictable obstacle ensue and such a obnoxious sportcaster ranch wilder ( jay o. sander ) try to make trouble for knox because of the angel angle . sure and it all work out fine for our hero in the end and but theyre so darn amiable you do not mind . represent ) baby face brody have a couple of good line ( i especially like his exchange with glover about the emotional impact of the national anthem at a ballgame ) as well a a cute bit where a pretty blonde angel massage his shoulder before he go up to bat . brody isn not the only future star in aito lineup represent his teammate include matthew mcconaughey and neal mcdonough and and of course and young gordon levitt go on to co star in tv 3rd rock from the sun as well a such film a 10 thing i hate about you . the always amuse taylor negron and oscar winner ( but not for this film represent ) brenda fricker and ben johnson lend able support . if youre a baseball fan who want to rent a movie appropriate for the kid and check out some notable young actor before they become star and aito 94 will do nicely .