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Major League

Major League

A comedy with bats and balls.

1989107 minRMidcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Director
David S. Ward
Starring
Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton

When Rachel Phelps inherits the Cleveland Indians from her deceased husband, she's determined to move the team to a warmer climate—but only a losing season will make that possible, which should be easy given the misfits she's hired. Rachel is sure her dream will come true, but she underestimates their will to succeed.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Major League?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Major League streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Free

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Major League?

Major League earns 13 badges, led by Top 10% in Comedy and Word-of-mouth hit.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Major League worth watching?

Major League's Midcredits score is the 87th percentile of all films, from 159K ratings across 6 sources. 78% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

87th percentile

Better received than 87% of films

92nd percentile among Comedy88th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)88th

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy85th percentile among 1980s

Critics 62 · Audience 72

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

78% liked it

88th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Comedy89th percentile among 1980s
78% rated it 7–1022% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 84%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

94th percentile

159K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$11M
Opening weekend$8.8M
Domestic gross$50M
Worldwide gross$50M

Returned 4.5× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a formulaic underdog sports comedy with broad characters and obvious plot.

Fans praised

  • hilarious ensemble chemistry and quotable one-liners
  • memorable misfit characters (Wild Thing, Cerrano, Harry Doyle)
  • crowd-pleasing underdog story with genuine heart

Detractors panned

  • thin, predictable formula recycled from other sports films
  • offensive caricatures (religious player, voodoo gags, Native American stereotypes)

What stands out

HumorDivisive85

consistently funny with crass but effective gags

DialogueDivisive85

constantly quotable one-liners and Uecker's ad-libs

ActingDivisive82

charismatic ensemble including Uecker, Sheen, Snipes, Gammon

EndingDivisive82

wildly satisfying one-game playoff climax

CharactersDivisive75

colorful misfits but many are one-note caricatures

Emotional impactDivisive72

genuinely uplifting climactic finish for fans

Plot and story40

heavily formulaic worst-to-first storyline

Originality25

derivative of The Bad News Bears and Bull Durham

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 21 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 12 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 14 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Major League like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is gentle and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulTriumphantAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Witty humor
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its absurd premise with affectionate humour, never mocking its characters, and builds genuine investment in their success.
The rideLight and comedic throughout, building to a triumphant climax that pays off the team's journey.
StructureConventional sports-comedy structure: spring training, season arc, climactic playoff game.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's triumphant ending leaves the viewer with a feel-good uplift and a rousing sense of victory against the odds.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rags
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a deliberately terrible baseball team that defies its owner's plan by winning the pennant, an underdog triumph.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Redemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeCast-off players rediscover their value and pride by banding together to win.
StanceThe film celebrates the team's rediscovery of self-worth and unity, treating it with earnest affection.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalRockPopSupportive music · hybrid · James Newton Howard
SettingCleveland, Ohio, and spring training in Tucson, Arizona
MusicFeatures the iconic use of 'Wild Thing' by The Troggs as Rick Vaughn's entrance music.

Content guide

Is Major League okay for kids?

R

Major League is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (31/100), sexual content at moderate (36/100), language at intense (75/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at minimal (11/100). Overall it is heavier than 15% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • DenmarkA
  • SK12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 42% of all filmsHeavier than 15% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 13%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 31%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 65%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 47%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 4%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Major League have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Major League?

Cast

Tom Berenger
as Jake Taylor
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Charlie Sheen
as Rick Vaughn
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Corbin Bernsen
as Roger Dorn
Margaret Whitton
as Rachel Phelps
James Gammon
as Lou Brown
Rene Russo
as Lynn Wells
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
newcomer then · star now
Wesley Snipes
as Willie Mays Hayes
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Charles Cyphers
as Charlie Donovan
Chelcie Ross
as Eddie Harris
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dennis Haysbert
as Pedro Cerrano
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Major League?

Movies like Major League include Wildcats (1986), Major League: Back to the Minors (1998) and Rookie of the Year (1993). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written or directed by David S. Ward, and most are underdog stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: sports. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Major League?

742 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: hangout movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.