Henry & Me facts for kids

Henry & Me
DVD cover
Directed by	Barrett Esposito
Produced by	Joseph Avallone Joe Castellano
Written by	David I. Stern
Starring	Richard Gere Chazz Palminteri Danny Aiello Cyndi Lauper Paul Simon Austin Williams Lucie Arnaz Hank Steinbrenner
Music by	Charles David Denler
Editing by	Joe Castellano
Studio	Reveal Animation Studios
Distributed by	Henry & Me Productions
Release date(s)	August 18, 2014 (2014-08-18) (New York City) September 30, 2014 (2014-09-30) (DVD)
Running time	67 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Henry & Me is an animated drama film from 2014. It was directed by Barrett Esposito. David I. Stern wrote the story. Many famous actors lent their voices to the characters. These include Richard Gere, Chazz Palminteri, and Cyndi Lauper. The movie was released on DVD on September 30, 2014. It tells a heartwarming story about a boy's special journey.

The Story of Henry & Me

The movie is about a boy named Jack McCarthy. He is almost twelve years old. Jack lives a good life in New York. He and his parents are huge fans of the New York Yankees baseball team. They often go to games together. One day, Jack feels very weak and drops a ball. His parents worry that something is wrong.

Jack soon finds himself in the hospital. He has a serious illness that makes him lose his hair. As he is taken for an operation, his nurse, Cyndi, tries to cheer him up. She sings "Take Me Out to The Ball Game." Jack is very sad about being sick. He feels like his life is ending.

Jack Meets Henry

Suddenly, a guardian angel appears to Jack. This angel looks like a Yankees executive named Henry. Richard Gere provides Henry's voice. At first, Jack doesn't want to watch a baseball game. But he accepts Henry's offer. Henry takes Jack to an amazing imaginary world. In this world, time doesn't matter. No one is sick, and Jack's hair is back! All the old Yankee players are alive and well.

Their first stop is in the early 1930s. They meet Babe Ruth, voiced by Chazz Palminteri. Babe Ruth is in a field surrounded by corn. He asks Jack to bat. Jack is nervous and strikes out three times. Babe encourages him to try again. Jack's teammates laugh at him because he is young. But Jack manages to steal a home run! He then says goodbye and rides off with Henry. They drive into the sky in Henry's cool 1935 Cord 810 car.

Playing with Legends

Next, Jack and Henry go to the mid-1960s. Jack is surprised to see the old Yankee Stadium still standing. In the Yankees' locker room, Jack meets more legends. These include Lefty Gomez, Mickey Mantle, and Thurman Munson. Jack is asked to pitch the ball. He feels he is not a real pitcher. But Munson encourages him.

During the game, Jack's blood pressure starts to drop. He realizes that the game he is playing is for his own life. A song plays as Jack sees moments from his life. He also sees other kids in what looks like Heaven. He worries about his parents. He asks a girl named Cissy if she misses her parents. She says "every day," which means she is also a spirit. Cissy and the other kids cheer for Jack. They shout, "We're all rooting for you!" Jack wins his battle for life.

Back to the Present

Jack is then magically brought back to the present. He meets the older George Steinbrenner. George offers Jack a spot on the team. Other team members like Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson encourage him. Jack suddenly has a real Yankee uniform that fits him. He plays alongside Curtis Granderson and Hideki Matsui. They play a big game against the Boston Red Sox. Jack remembers Babe Ruth's words. He whispers them to Matsui. Matsui then hits the ball so hard it goes into the hall of fame!

As night falls, Jack asks Henry to meet more players. But Henry says it's time for Jack to go home. A rainstorm starts, showing Jack's difficult choice. He doesn't want to go back to being sick. He thinks about staying in this healthy, imaginary world. Jack runs off, leaving his cap. Henry finds him and reveals his true identity. Henry is actually Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig was a famous baseball player who also had a serious illness.

Lou Gehrig tells Jack to keep fighting for his life. Jack finally agrees. He waves goodbye to Henry, Lefty, and Babe Ruth. They appear just in time to see him leave.

A New Beginning

Jack wakes up in the hospital. His parents are overjoyed to see him. The Yankees team even visits him! Jack is confident his hair will grow back. Mr. Steinbrenner gives Jack a special pin. It is the same kind Henry wore. This pin means Jack is now a true New York Yankee.

After the movie credits, Henry and Babe Ruth pick up Mr. Steinbrenner in Henry's car.

Meet the Actors