Bang the Drum Slowly

Bang the Drum Slowly, directed by John D. Hancock and adapted from Mark Harris's 1956 novel of the same name, with a screenplay written by Harris himself, is a sports drama about a baseball catcher (Robert De Niro) diagnosed with terminal Hodgkin lymphoma and the teammate who wants to play one more season with him. Vincent Gardenia was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his role as the team manager. De Niro's performance here, alongside Mean Streets two months later, marked a turning point in his career. The film holds a 90 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Who it's for: anyone curious about a sports drama following a baseball player battling a terminal illness, a career turning point for Robert De Niro. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a light, purely entertaining sports film, since this is a serious drama about death and friendship.