Review of Billy Joel - The Last Play at Shea (2010) by Walter M — 22 Aug 2010

"Last Play at Shea" is a sentimental and nostalgic concert film that provides great insight into why your flight may have been late getting into JFK on the night of July 18, 2008. That was also the second night that Billy Joel performed at Shea Stadium, with a little help from some friends that closed out the illustrious musical history of the stadium, going back to The Beatles performing there in 1965 which comes full circle here. Clips of songs are provided with the only song in its entirety being the National Anthem.(What is up with that?) While not aesthetically pleasing(it was built in the 1960's, the era of the cookie-cutter, multi-function stadium) and doubling as a runway for LaGuardia Airport, Shea Stadium has created more than its share of great sports memories, especially the two World Series won by the Mets.(Gotta admit. If I was a Jets fan, I would be more than a little miffed.) Also of interest is Shea Stadium being used as a staging area after 9/11.

While I appreciate history in any concert film, it should be mentioned that "Last Play at Shea" also has its share of misperceptions. For example, the trade for Gary Carter was more instrumental in the success of the 1980's Mets than Ron Darling and his quality pitching. And in detailing the life and career of Billy Joel(including some lovely stuff about his early music), the film goes off on a tangent linking Joel and Shea Stadium to Long Island(Joel grew up in Hicksville), of which Robert Moses played a huge part in developing.(Not to mention highways in New York City including the Cross Bronx Expressway.) But what has to be remembered is Robert Moses' making it more automobile friendly than it had to be.(He never drove a car in his life and it still shows.) Also, the documentary puts the cart before the horse by giving him sole credit for the creation of the Mets when in fact he only had control over the land that he insisted a stadium be built on. Don't forget. The Mets played two seasons at the Polo Grounds before moving to Shea Stadium in 1964.

"Last Play at Shea" was shown at Citi Field, the new home of the Mets, where the weather and the airplanes did not interfere with the screening. However, watching it on the Jumbotron screens is not exactly aesthetically perfect. And would it have been too much to turn off the Pepsi sign?