As someone who is not a big baseball fan and didn't know much about Yogi Berra, It Ain't Over is a pleasant surprise. Berra and his Berra-isms are charming, regardless of your interest in baseball. Berra's life is also full of incredible moments undercut by his unique aphorisms. Berra is akin to Mark Twain in some ways, often having quotes attributed to him that he never said.
The title of this documentary is even a play off of this phenomenon. Berra didn't actually say that. He said, "You're not out of it until it's mathematical." However, over time that evolved to "It ain't over till it's over." Billy Crystal is interviewed here to break down what is and isn't a Berra-ism. It's a hoot.
However, It Ain't Over has more on its mind. Director Sean Mullin has another purpose here than to explore these unique sayings. The aim is to re-establish Berra's standing in baseball history. Berra was overlooked in 2015 when the greatest living baseball players were honored. Berra's granddaughter is quick to point out he had better stats than all of them and had more World Series rings than all of them combined. Berra's status as a veteran is also often overlooked. He was at the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach and yet all of these achievements are often eclipsed by his penchant for quips.
It Ain't Over is a loving attempt to correct the legacy of an incredible figure in baseball. It also shows what kind of a man Berra was as a husband and a father. Dale Berra's career was halted by drug abuse but his father helped him get sober. His wife of 65 years, Carmen, speaks lovingly about the good man he was. Berra's life goes many places and while baseball is a big focus here, It Ain't Over never losses its focus on Berra as a personality and as a person. For fans of baseball, this film will be a home run. For those that may not be that into America's pastime, the film is full of touching moments, humor, and pathos.
3.5/5