When they were good, they were the biggest stars on a team that captured New York City and the 1986 World Series. But when they were bad, Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry broke the hearts of Mets fans. "They were going to be our guys for years," laments Jon Stewart in this evocative yet searing 30 for 30 documentary directed by Judd Apatow ("Trainwreck") and Michael Bonfiglio ("You Don't Know Bo"). Reunited at a diner in Queens, the pitcher and the power hitter look back on the glory days of the mid-'80s and the harrowing nights that turned them from surefire Hall of Famers into prisoners of their own addictions. Listening to Doc talk about missing the parade down the Canyon of Heroes, or Darryl counsel others at his ministry, you can only wish that these two very different men had not followed the same destructive path.
Acting
Doc's raw honesty about missing the parade hits like a fastball.
Direction
Apatow's restraint lets the pain breathe without exploited.
Writing
Jon Stewart's fan perspective frames the tragedy perfectly.
Director
Judd Apatow
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Queens diner location was chosen specifically because both men had eaten there during their playing days, making it neutral emotional ground.
The documentary's release coincided with baseball's growing reckoning with opioid and stimulant abuse, making Doc and Darryl's 30-year-old story suddenly urgent again.
US
