The Catcher Was a Spy

2018 • 94 minutes

About this movie

This gripping, stranger-than-fiction espionage thriller brings to life the incredible true story of Moe Berg, the professional baseball player who became a World War II spy. A Jewish, Princeton-educated, multilingual catcher for the Boston Red Sox with a closely-guarded private life, the enigmatic Berg (Paul Rudd) was already a man of mystery when, in 1944, the US government's wartime intelligence agency enlisted his services. His mission: go behind enemy lines in Europe to assassinate the Nazi's chief nuclear scientist before the Germans develop an atomic bomb. Trading in his catcher's mitt for a trench coat, Berg must rely on his formidable, steel-trap intellect in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Jeff Daniels, Paul Giamatti, and Sienna Miller costar in this remarkable slice of forgotten history.

Ratings and reviews

Why. Paul Rudd?? Jeff Daniels?? Whomever cast this movie had some pretty hopeful ideas about the emotional depth, and the onscreen acting range of those actors. They were incredibly optimistic about the saving graces of period costumes, combined with lots of heavy makeup, to compensate for obvious deficiencies, thereof. This was a fascinating, moving, and critical story of a time when the world's very future balanced on a knives' edge for our survival against the terrifying evil of madmen. To take these sobering circumstances displayed here seriously, one must truly believe that these people playing those lead characters really ARE whom they portray, with those same laser-focused intentions, and personify their intrinsically brave and bold capabilities. But we cannot, when its obviously, and jarringly, 'Ant Man' and 'Dumb and Dumber', but without the jokes, expected to do the heavy lifting here. Too bad. Such a waste of a great and dramatic story that needed to be told.

Haters gonna hate but I actually liked this movie a lot. I spent 5 days with Ted Williams when I was a graphic artist in the late 90's, and all he wanted to talk about was war stuff & fishing. Can't recall if he mentioned Moe Berg but when I saw this it reminded me of that week with a legend.

The Catcher Was a Spy is a great movie that tells the true story of Moe Berg, a Major League Baseball player who became a spy during World War II. The movie is full of suspense, drama, and historical intrigue. It's a great watch for anyone who loves baseball or history.