IMPACT

Genre: Drama, Feature Film
Writer: Jonathan Flora
Producers: Jonathan Flora, Deborah Flora
Status: In Development, Script completed and available

Frank pitching BW.jpg
Frank after a win.jpg
Frank 1st Pitch Rev.jpg
Frank and Gina young on chair.jpg
 
Frank and Gina 2 Rev.jpg
Frank Harvest Crusade.jpg
 

SYNOPSIS

Frank Pastore is a larger than life figure in every way: size, personality, and his ability to turn tragedy into triumph at every turn.

Based on his popular autobiography Shattered, this movie propels us on the entertaining, inspiring and paradoxical journey of his life: from an awkward, overweight kid always picked last in PE to a pitcher with a 94 mile per hour fastball and being signed by the Cincinnati Reds; from a 3 year-old latchkey child in an abusive home to a devoted husband and father; from a mediocre, struggling student to a highly respected scholar; and from a hardened atheist to the host of the largest Christian radio talk show in America impacting millions both on the air and off.

Frank discovers early in life that his escape from his overbearing, manipulative mother is found not just in his phenomenal pitching arm, but also in the love of his childhood sweetheart, Gina.  Their elopement is a wild race from their parents and the law, as an 18 year-old Frank whisks away his 16 year-old bride. Despite their unconventional and daring start, their romance proves to be one of the great love stories that lasts a lifetime.

With Gina as his anchor, Frank quickly rises through the ranks of the minor leagues to become the youngest player in the National League when he puts on the uniform of the Cincinnati Reds. There he meets his childhood idols, Johnny Bench and Tom Seaver and under their mentorship, Frank flourishes as part of the legendary Big Red Machine. 

As Frank quickly accumulates the brash attitude, luxury, and lifestyle so often found in the glamorous world professional sports, Bench’s seasoned words remind him, “Everyone is always one pitch away from humility.” And then, on a fateful, sunny day at Dodger stadium, when Frank is on top of the world, he throws that pitch. The ball is hit sharply by Dodgers’ Steve Sax and in an instant, not only is Frank’s pitching elbow shattered, but also so are his dreams of a long career as a major league pitcher. 

If this were any other life, this career-ending injury might be the end of the story, but with Frank’s unquenchable spirit it is a new beginning. Shaken to his core, Frank finds himself praying to the very God he has denied and fought fiercely against his entire life. As he experiences a rebirth, he is immediately challenged by the specter of financial ruin and the pain of personal betrayal.

However, together he and Gina are unvanquished, and Frank overcomes all the odds to earn not one but two master’s degrees in philosophy, finding his ultimate calling touching millions of lives through his record-breaking, influential radio show and speaking to gatherings of tens of thousands including a massive event right back in Dodger Stadium where life threw him a curveball.

Frank’s story is not one of defeat but of victory; it is the story not of regrets but of passion and purpose; it is a timeless love story filled with the joy of living life to the fullest right to the very end; it is the story of an enduring legacy and the triumph of the human spirit.