**** (Four stars)
Playing like an athletic version of Lost in Translation, The Zen of Bobby V chronicles a season in the life of former Mets manager Bobby Valentine, who has been coaching in Japan since 2003. Unlike Bill Murray, however, Valentine seems utterly at ease in his adopted home. His Chiba Lotte Marines inspire fervent devotion among their fans, and the skipper basks in the attention with charm and charisma. Demonstrating a somewhat unhealthy predilection for montage, the doc shines whenever the camera zeroes in on the coach. His palpable zeal for the game—and its cultivation in the East—could excite even the most sports-averse viewer.—Hank Shteamer, Music writer
[This is a TONY staff review, written for the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is not considered an official review and should not be read as such. Please think of it as a casual impression from a movie-loving friend.]