JB Bernstein是一名職業體育經紀人,在經歷了事業的輝煌發展后,他與搭檔成立了自己的經紀公司,卻不料遭受了重創,JB的事業和人生都面臨著危機。一個偶然的機會,他想出到印度進行棒球新星征選的點子,在得到贊助商的首肯之后,他踏入了這個古老的國度。JB能如愿選到合適的球員嗎?他的事業和人生會因此出現轉機嗎?
印度元素和美國夢貫穿其中的影片《百萬金臂(Million Dollar Arm)》根據真人真事改編而成,事業和人生面臨危機的美國職業體育經紀人JB Bernstein、懷揣夢想的印度少年Rinku和Dinesh、先天條件不足卻熱愛棒球的印度棒球老師Rohan……他們的夢想一脈相承,影片試圖通過他們的故事向觀眾傳達這樣一個信念——只要努力,沒有完成不了的夢想。
JB Bernstein: How about that baseball owner you know? What was his name?
JB’s partner: William Chang. Big money guy out of San Francisco, looking for investment opportunities in Asia. Except we don’t have anything in Asia.
JB: Maybe we should find something. Think about Yao Ming. That 1)dude’s worth a hundred million in Chinese 2)endorsements. We just need to find our Yao.
JB’s partner: Okay. When it comes to China, we are late to the party. China’s tapped.
JB: South Korea.
JB’s partner: Tapped.
JB: North Korea.
JB’s partner: Great. I’ll set up a meeting.
JB: All right. Well, then, this. What if we go young?
JB’s partner: Mmm-hmm.
JB: Find some kid, develop the talent. Get in on the ground floor.
JB’s partner: Mmm. Hey, the Red Sox just signed an 8-year-old.
JB: All right. Maybe we hang out at 3)maternity wards.
JB’s partner: Yeah, last time I did that, I came home with twins.
JB: Alright. Bad idea.
JB’s partner: Hey, listen, you are gonna love it when it happens to you. Ah, look at that. 4)Cricket.
JB: Oh, come on.
JB’s partner: Come on. It relaxes me, all right? I used to watch this with my dad. It’s a great game.
JB: It’s not a great game.
JB’s partner: It is a great game.
JB: It looks like an insane 5)asylum was opened up and all the 6)inmates were allowed to create a sport. JB’s partner: That is just not true. Okay? A billion people play this game.
JB: I don’t care. It’s because anybody can play it. There’s no 7)discernible rules. You hit the ball anywhere you want and it’s apparently fair. And then you run back and forth and tag each other with bats. This is nonsense. 8)Toddlers can play this game.
JB’s partner: Okay, are you even listening to yourself right now? Do you realize how stupid you sound? It is a brilliant game.
William Chang: They don’t play baseball in India.
JB’s partner: That’s right. They don’t. They play cricket. But we think that we can convert a cricket 9)bowler into a baseball 10)pitcher. Look, India is the last great untapped market. We find new fans there for American baseball, the financial opportunities are endless.
JB: Mr. Chang, if we can deliver to Major League Baseball its first Indian ballplayer, that’s a billion new fans. What do a billion new fans need? Billion hats. Billion T-shirts.
Chang: And you wanna set this up like it’s a talent contest?
JB: Exactly. That will ensure maximum exposure of talent to press. See, once we go over there and find these guys, we bring them back here, we train them in L.A., and then we get them signed with a professional 11)franchise. Chang: What’s your timeline?
JB: Two years.
Chang: Can you do it in one?
JB: Sure.
JB: Hello, I’m JB Bernstein.
Vivek: JBB Sir. Hello, I’m Vivek.
JB: Weren’t you supposed to pick me up at the airport today?
Vivek: Yes, but that is tomorrow.
JB: No, Vivek, today. That’s why I’m standing here.
Vivek: I was certain that it was tomorrow, JB Sir.
JB: I tried calling you all day.
Vivek: The telephone lines are not up yet. And I’ve been busy on my cell phone, you know, trying to resolve the issue. But anyway, you are here now. We are all very excited about “Million Dollar Arm,” JBB Sir. JB: Thank you. And it’s
just JB.
Vivek: Okay.
JB: One B.
Vivek: JB.
JB: No “sir.” So this is our
office?
Vivek: Yes, JB.
JB: Is there always this much traffic?
Vivek: There’s always traffic in Mumbai, JB.
JB: What’s with the honking?
Vivek: Indians love honking, JB. I don’t know why. It doesn’t help. Anyway, you settle down, and then whenever you are ready, we can have a status report meeting.
JB: Great. I’m ready. Let’s do it.
Vivek: Right away?
JB: Yes.
Vivek: Oh, okay. First of all, I am happy to inform you that all our plans are running smoothly and on time.
JB: Great. Can I see the 12)flyers?
Vivek: Flyers are not here yet. They are at the printers. We are trying to get them.
JB: Okay. How about the T-shirts?
Vivek: They are at the warehouse. We are trying to get them, too.
JB: Okay, but the equipment that we sent over, the batting cages, balls, bats, that’s all here?
Vivek: Yes. I’m happy to confirm that they all are here in India. JB: But you don’t have them here?
Vivek: No, they are at the 13)customs. I think we should be working on that.
JB: Okay, Vivek, I need things to run on time and smoothly. But actually run on time and smoothly, not Indian on time and smoothly.
Vivek: Well, you know, here in India, we do things a little differently than in the U.S..
JB: Okay, so, what do we have to do to get our stuff?
Vivek: Uh, we have to pay money.
JB: Pay money. Like a 14)bribe?
Vivek: Oh, no, no, no. Not a…not a bribe. I mean, why use such words? We call it “bypassing the system.” The systems in India are very slow, so we bypass them.
JB: By paying money.
Vivek: That’s the Indian way. Indians love honking and bypassing the system.
JB: Okay, let’s do it.
杰貝·柏斯丁:你認識的那個棒球老板怎么樣?他叫什么名字?
杰貝的搭檔:張威廉。舊金山的大財主,他在尋找亞洲的投資機會。但我們沒有亞洲球星。
杰貝:也許我們該找個亞洲球星。想想姚明吧。那家伙身價過億,身兼多個中國代言。只要找到我們的姚明。
杰貝的搭檔:好吧,說到中國,我們不再有利可圖了。中國被榨干了。
杰貝:韓國。
杰貝的搭檔:榨干了。
杰貝:朝鮮。
杰貝的搭檔:好極了。我會安排你們見面的。
杰貝:好吧,呃,這樣吧。如果我們找年輕的會怎么樣?
杰貝的搭檔:嗯。
杰貝:找些年輕人,發掘天賦,先下手為強。
杰貝的搭檔:嗯,嘿,紅襪隊剛簽下一個八歲的球員。
杰貝:好吧,也許我們去產房找好了。
杰貝的搭檔:是啊,上次我去產房,帶了一對雙胞胎回家。
杰貝:沒錯,餿主意。
杰貝的搭檔:嘿,聽好了,等你有了孩子,就會喜歡的。啊,快看啊,板球。
杰貝:哦,拜托了。
杰貝的搭檔:拜托,它能讓我放松,好吧?我以前常和我爸看板球,很好看。杰貝:才不是呢。
杰貝的搭檔:很好看。
杰貝:它看起來像是一所瘋人院被打開,所有病人自創的一項運動。
杰貝的搭檔:別胡扯了,好嗎?有十億人在玩這種運動。
杰貝:我不管。因為任何人都能打板球。沒有清晰的規則。你把球擊到任何一個你想要的地方,似乎都算界內。然后你來回跑,帶球棒玩捉人游戲。太扯了,連學走路的小孩都會打。
杰貝的搭檔:好吧,你剛剛有在聽自己說話嗎?你意識到你聽起來有多愚蠢嗎?這是一項絕妙的運動。
張威廉:印度人不打棒球。
杰貝的搭檔:沒錯,他們不打棒球,他們打板球。但我們認為我們可以把板球投手變成棒球投手。看吧,印度是最后一個尚未被開發的好市場。我們替美國棒球找到新球迷,商機無限。
杰貝:張先生,如果我們能為職業棒球大聯盟輸送第一個印度球員,那就增加了十億新球迷。十億新球迷需要什么?十億頂球帽。十億件T恤。
張:你想設計成選秀比賽的形式進行嗎?
杰貝:沒錯。那將會最大限度地提高新秀的媒體曝光。想想,一旦我們到那里找到這些人才,把他們帶回洛杉磯受訓,再讓他們和專業球隊簽約。張:你需要多長時間?杰貝:兩年。
張:你能在一年內做到嗎?杰貝:當然能。
杰貝:你好,我是杰貝·柏斯丁。
威韋克:杰貝貝先生,你好,我是威韋克。杰貝:你今天不是要來機場接我嗎?威韋克:是的,但那是明天的事啊。
杰貝:不,威韋克,是今天。所以我才站在這里。
威韋克:我確定是明天,杰貝先生。
杰貝:我打電話找你一整天了。
威韋克:電話線還沒有接好。我忙著用手機聯絡,你知道的,想要解決這個問題。但無論如何,你現在已經到這兒了。我們都很期待《百萬金臂》比賽,杰貝貝先生。
杰貝:謝謝,叫我杰貝就好了。
威韋克:好的。
杰貝:一個貝就行了。
威韋克:杰貝。
杰貝:別叫“先生”。那么,這是我們的辦公室嗎?威韋克:是的,杰貝。
杰貝:路上總是這么塞車嗎?威韋克:孟買到處都塞車,杰貝。
杰貝:為什么老按喇叭?
威韋克:印度人愛按喇叭,杰貝。我不知道為什么。這完全沒用。無論如何,你整理下,什么時候作好準備,我們就開進度報告會議。
杰貝:好極了,我準備好了,開會吧。
威韋克:現在嗎?
杰貝:是的。
威韋克:哦,好的。首先,我很高興向你匯報,我們所有的計劃按時間安排進展順利。杰貝:很好,我能看看傳單嗎?
威韋克:傳單還沒有送過來。它們還在印刷廠,我們正要去取。
杰貝:好吧。T恤呢?
威韋克:T恤在倉庫里。我們也正要去取。
杰貝:好,但我們寄過來的設備,擊球練習擋網、球、球棒,都在這里嗎?威韋克:是的。很高興跟你確認設備都在印度了。
杰貝:但都不在這里?
威韋克:不在這里,設備在海關。我想我們會去想辦法的。
杰貝:好的,威韋克,我要事情按時間進度順利進行。但是是真正的按部就班,而不是印度人的那套。
威韋克:嗯,你知道,在印度這兒,我們做事的方式和在美國有點不同。杰貝:好吧,那么,我們要怎么做才能拿到我們的東西?
威韋克:呃,我們得付錢。
杰貝:付錢,像是賄賂嗎?
威韋克:哦,不,不,不。不是……不是賄賂。我是說,為什么用這樣的詞呢?我們稱之為“繞過體制”。印度體制效率很慢,所以我們繞過體制。
杰貝:用付錢繞過體制。
威韋克:那是印度人做事的方式。印度人愛按喇叭和繞過體制。
杰貝:好吧,就這么干吧。
Rohan是一個棒球迷,他來到JB居住的酒店,毛遂自薦,希望得到與其共事的機會。
Amit Rohan: Uh, excuse me, sir. Are you JB Bernstein?
JB: Yes, I am,
Rohan: Hello, sir. I am Amit Rohan. I love baseball. I would like very much to work with you on “The Million Dollar Arm.”JB: Great. 15)Tryouts in Mumbai are at the end of the month. Come on by.
Rohan: JB Sir, I don’t play baseball. Look at me, too small to compete. But I teach baseball in New Mumbai.
JB: You do?
Rohan: Yes, sir. At my college I have 7 students. Ask me any question about the game of baseball. I will tell you. Ask me.
JB: Okay. How many 16)innings does a starting pitcher have to pitch to get the win?
Rohan: Can you ask me a different question?
JB: No. Goodbye.
Rohan: Sir, sir, I’ll work for free, sir.
JB: Really?
Rohan: Yes, sir. I’ll work for free.
JB: When can you start?
Rohan: Now, sir.
JB: Now is good. Let’s go.
Rohan: Really, sir?
JB: Yes.
(JB and Brenda are skyping.)
JB: Lucknow was huge for us. We found 4 guys there, and then we got on a roll. By the time we got to Goa, we had somehow found 16 more. I mean, half these kids never traveled before, so they were thrilled to come to Mumbai and train for the finals. We put ’em up in a small college where Amit teaches. Amit hooked it up. He’s been key, ’cause none of these guys really speak English. In fact, I asked him to come to the U.S. and be the translator for the winners. Ray has 17)graciously offered to stay and train the boys for the final. He actually seems to be enjoying himself. And Amit has become Ray’s 18)protégé, studying all his methods, good and bad. Brenda: Hmm. Sounds great.
JB: I don’t know if it’s great, but at least it’s coming together.
Brenda: What? JB, you’re in Mumbai. You’re doing exactly what you want. That takes guts. Personally, I just can’t wait to hear how it all turns out.
JB: That’ll cost you a bottle of wine.
Brenda: Bottle of Scotch.
JB: Better.
Brenda: Deal. So can I see your office?
JB: Well, I’m on the roof now because the air conditioner is broken. Shocker. But here’s my view.
Brenda: Wow.
JB: Right?
Brenda: That is really cool.
JB: Yeah, you kind of have to have the smells to get the full effect.
Brenda: Does it smell so bad?
JB: Yeah, sometimes. And then sometimes it smells amazing. It’s a study in extremes, just like everything else in this place.
Brenda: Hmm. Can I see the Taj Mahal?
JB: It’s about 700 miles away.
Brenda: Oh, damn.
艾米·洛漢:呃,打擾了,先生。你是杰貝·柏斯丁嗎?
杰貝:是的,我是。
洛漢:你好,先生,我是艾米·洛漢。我愛棒球。我很想跟你為《百萬金臂》工作。
杰貝:好極了。孟買征選在月底進行。記得來參加。
洛漢:杰貝先生,我不打棒球。看看我,個子太矮了沒法競爭。但是我在新孟買教打棒球。
杰貝:是嗎?
洛漢:是的,先生。我在學校有七個學生。問我任何有關棒球的問題吧。我都能回答,問我吧。
杰貝:好吧。先發投手要投幾局才能拿下勝投?
洛漢:能問我一個別的問題嗎?
杰貝:不能。再見。
洛漢:先生,先生,我愿意不拿薪水工作,先生。
杰貝:真的?
洛漢:是的,先生,我不拿薪水。
杰貝:什么時候能開始?
洛漢:現在,先生。
杰貝:現在就很好。走吧。
洛漢:真的嗎,先生?
杰貝:真的。
(杰貝和布蘭達在視訊通話。)
杰貝:勒克瑙的征選獲得了巨大成功。我們在那兒發掘了四個年輕人,接著好運連連。抵達果亞時,我們又發掘了16個年輕人。我是說,這些孩子中,有一半從未背井離鄉,所以他們很興奮來到孟買受訓,參加決賽。我們送他們到艾米教棒球的一所小學校。艾米負責安排。他很重要,因為這些年輕人都不太懂英語。事實上,我邀請他到美國,擔任獲勝者的翻譯。雷爽快地答應留下來,訓練這些男孩參加決賽。他好像樂在其中。艾米成為雷的徒弟,學習他的方法,不分好壞。
布蘭達: 嗯,聽起來很好。
杰貝:不知道好不好,但至少有按計劃進行著。
布蘭達:什么?杰貝,你在孟買。你在做你想做的事,那需要勇氣。從個人的角度來說,我迫不及待想要聽到結果了。
杰貝:那你要請我喝瓶酒。
布蘭達:一瓶蘇格蘭威士忌。杰貝:那更好了。
布蘭達:一言為定。能看看你的辦公室嗎?
杰貝:呃,我現在在樓頂,因為空調壞掉了。真令人驚訝。但這是我能看到的。
布蘭達:哇。
杰貝:還好吧?
布蘭達:那真的很酷。
杰貝:是啊,要聞到味道才能完全感受到。
布蘭達:很難聞嗎?杰貝:是的,有時是。有時香氣宜人。就像研究極端事物,印度的任何東西都是如此。
布蘭達:嗯。我能看看泰姬陵嗎?
杰貝:大約在700英里外。
布蘭達:哦,討厭。
《百萬金臂》順利進入尾聲,幸運的Rinku和Dinesh成為冠亞軍,之后隨JB來到美國進行訓練。贊助商給的時限在一步步接近,兩個印度少年訓練的進展有限,JB擔心他們是否能參加職業棒球大聯盟的甄選。另外,文化的差異還給JB帶來了不少麻煩。善解人意的Brenda與JB談心,使JB認識到他將生意看得太重,而未給予他們足夠的關心。
JB: Alright, I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I was supposed to run a contest, not become a primary caregiver. I mean, my house is a mess, the pool is filthy, my car smells like 19)puke. I’m late to everything.
Brenda: You sound like every one of my married friends.
JB: But I’m not married. I don’t wanna be married.
Brenda: All right, Mr. Sensitive. I think you just need to accept the fact that your life’s gonna be different for a couple of months. And then it’s gonna go back to your old life.
JB: Yeah, but there may not be an old life to go back to if this doesn’t work out. That’s what you don’t understand. This thing, these kids…This is my last best shot.
Brenda: Come on. You got your big house, your fancy car. You’re gonna be fine.
JB: No, I am miles away from fine. All this stuff is from my old life, when I made money before I stupidly decided to go out on my own. Now I can barely pay my bills.
Brenda: Really?
JB: Really.
Brenda: Sorry. Okay, so if they’re your last shot, then don’t you think you should be paying a little more attention to ’em? I mean, it’s not like it’s easy for these guys, you know. They’re far from home. They miss their families.
JB: How do you know all this?
Brenda: ’Cause they told me.
JB: You talk to them?
Brenda: Yeah, I talk to them. They just need to see that you care.
JB: Yeah, maybe I need to create a…create a better environment for their success.
Brenda: Something like that, yeah. You just need to commit to it and then you’ll figure out the rest.
杰貝:好吧,我不知道我還能撐多久,我應該要管理比賽,而不是變成保姆。我是說,房子凌亂、水池骯臟、車里滿是嘔吐味。做什么事都慢一步。
布蘭達:你聽起來好像我那些已婚朋友。
杰貝:但我還沒有結婚,我不想結婚。布蘭達:好吧,敏感先生。我想你只需要接受這是個事實,這幾個月你的生活會有所不同。幾個月后就會恢復正常了。
杰貝:是的,但是如果失敗了,就回不到正常的生活了。那是你無法理解的。這件事,這些孩子……是我最后的翻身機會。
布蘭達:拜托。你坐擁豪宅名車,不會有事的。
杰貝:不,我麻煩大著呢。這些都是以前賺錢買的,后來我愚蠢地決定自己開公司。現在我連賬單都快付不起了。
布蘭達:真的?
杰貝:真的。
布蘭達:對不起。好吧,如果他們是你最后的翻身機會,那么為什么你不覺得該多關心他們嗎?我是說,他們也不好受,你知道的。他們背井離鄉,他們想念家人。
杰貝:這些你怎么知道的?
布蘭達:因為是他們告訴我的。
杰貝:你和他們聊過嗎?
布蘭達:是的,我和他們聊天。他們只需要看到你的關心。
杰貝:是啊,也許我需要創造一個……創造一個更好的環境讓他們成功。
布蘭達:諸如此類,對。你只要用心去做,事情就會水到渠成。
球探甄選按照贊助商給的時限如期進行,Rinku和Dinesh表現不佳,并沒有獲得任何球隊的青睞。JB很內疚,覺得不能因為商業的操作而斷送他們的前途,于是帶領他的團隊力勸球探們給予新的機會,卻一一遭到拒絕。所幸,在Ray的幫助下,JB為他們爭取到第二次甄選的機會。在經歷了第一次失敗后,JB也明白了棒球對他來說,不僅僅是生意,而是一項樂在其中的運動。
Dinesh: We are trying to thank you with this meal. Rinku: And we also wanted to say that we are very, very sorry, sir. Because we are letting you down at the tryouts.
Rohan: We can never repay what you’ve given us, JB Sir.
JB: Repay me? Guys, come on. What are you talking about?
Rohan: Okay, we all are here together, so let’s thank God and let’s do a prayer.
Brenda: Okay.
(The phone is ringing.)
JB: Sorry.
Brenda: JB.
JB: I have to take this. It’s Ash.
Brenda: Really? Now?
JB: I’m sorry.
Rohan: JB Sir, no.
JB: (answering the phone) Hey. Yes, yeah, I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of a prayer right now. But, uh, I wanted to let you know we got the second tryout from MLB. Yeah, it’s gonna be in two weeks at USC. So get ready. Alright, I’ll call you later and fill you in. Yeah, bye. (to Rohan) Sorry, where were you? We were praying?
Rinku: Are you messing with us, dude?
JB: No, I’m not messing with you. You got a second tryout.
All right. So start stretching.
(Laughters.)
JB: Yeah. But this time, we’re gonna do it a little different.
Rinku: Yes, we’re gonna pitch good.
JB: Ideally, you will pitch better, yes. But this time, guys, I…I just want you to have fun.
Dinesh: Yes, sir.
JB: Okay. Now, last time we did this, it was all business and that was my fault. But baseball shouldn’t be just about business, okay? You should have fun. (to Rohan) How are you not writing this down?

Rohan: Oh, yes, I need to write that. Noted, JB Sir.
JB: And listen to me, guys, no matter what happens, I want you to know that you could never, ever, let me down. Okay? I have never been more proud of anyone in my entire life. So I wanna thank you. I really love you guys.
迪尼斯:我們想用這頓飯謝謝你。
林庫:我們也想跟你說,我們非常非常抱歉,先生。因為我們在甄選中讓你失望了。
洛漢:我們永遠無法回報你,杰貝先生。
杰貝:回報我?別這樣,伙計們。你們在說什么?
洛漢:好了,我們齊聚于此,讓我們感謝神,一起禱告吧。布蘭達:好。
(電話響了。)
杰貝:對不起。
布蘭達:杰貝。
杰貝:我得接電話,是艾旭。
布蘭達:真的嗎?現在?
杰貝:對不起。
洛漢:杰貝先生,別這樣。
杰貝:(接電話)嘿,是的,是的,對不起,我正在禱告。但是,呃,我想讓你知道我們爭取到第二次大聯盟的甄選機會。是的,兩個星期后在南加州大學。所以作好準備吧。好的,我遲些再給你打電話告訴你最新進展。好的,再見。(對洛漢說)對不起,剛說到哪兒了?我們在禱告?
林庫:你在耍我們嗎,伙計?
杰貝:不,我沒有耍你們。你們得到第二次甄選機會。好吧,開始熱身吧。
(笑聲。)
杰貝:是的,但是這次我們要干得不一樣。
林庫:是的,我們會好好投。
杰貝:最理想的情況是,你們會投得更好,是的,但是這次,伙計,我……我只想要你們樂在其中。
迪尼斯:好的,先生。
杰貝:好的。上次甄選都是在談生意,那是我的錯。但棒球不該只有生意,對嗎?你們應該樂在其中。(對洛漢說)你怎么不記下來?
洛漢:哦,是啊,我要記下來。記好了,杰貝先生。
杰貝:聽我說,伙計們,不管發生什么事,我想要你們知道,你們永遠不會讓我失望。好嗎?我這輩子都沒這么為任何人驕傲過。所以我要謝謝你們。我真的愛你們。