ReelBob: ‘Facing Nolan’ ★★★½

By Bob Bloom

Nolan Ryan is one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history — the holder of 51 records, including most strikeouts (5,714) and the most no-hitters (7).

The documentary, “Facing Nolan,” chronicles not only Ryan’s 27-year career with the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, but his personal life as well.

The movie is not simply about wins and losses or balls and strikes; it’s a love story that examines the loving and enduring relationship between Ryan and his wife, Ruth.

The two grew up in the small town of Alvin, Texas, and were high-school sweethearts. Ruth has been by Nolan’s side through all the ups and downs of his career. During his darkest days when he thought he should quit baseball, it was Ruth who convinced him to continue.

Early in his career, Ryan was undervalued. His pitching during his time with the Mets was inconsistent. He shifted between the bullpen and starting. He had control issues, walking or hitting as many batters as he struck out.

Ryan was a late bloomer who credits Angels pitching coach Tom Morgan with improving his mechanics and setting him on the path to superstardom.

Many teammates, opponents, family members and friends are interviewed, offering their opinions and anecdotes about Ryan. These include former Mets catcher Jerry Grote, Rangers catcher Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez, Roger Clemens, Rod Carew, Dave Winfield, George Brett, Pete Rose, Randy Johnson and Craig Biggio as well as former President George W. Bush, a former co-owner of the Rangers.

Ryan is described as a good ol’ Texas boy; a cowboy rancher who enjoys working with cattle; an outdoorsman who loves spending time with his children and grandchildren.

At times, “Facing Nolan” plays like one of those MLB Network profiles of former players. But the film does look at some of the dark periods of Nolan’s life, such as when his son, Reid, was seriously injured when struck by a car. The boy survived but lost a kidney and his spleen.

One of the strange aspects of Nolan’s career and accomplishments is that despite his dominance, he never won a Cy Young Award. He was, however, a first-ballot inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, elected in 1999 on 98.8 percent of the ballots.

Nolan also helped fellow players economically. When he signed with the Astros in 1980, he became the game’s first $1 million player, paving the way for others to earn similar paychecks.

Nolan pitched until he was 46, and his best years were the final seven of his career. Two of his seven no-hitters were pitched when he was more than 40 years old.

The documentary, written and directed by Bradley Jackson, is noncontroversial, a portrait of a Texas boy who, for the most part, let his pitching arm do his talking.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

FACING NOLAN
3½ stars out of 4
Not rated