Bull Durham

Kevin Costner is a fine actor, and is believable in a role as a ball player. Problem with this film is a poor script. A fine cast is wasted by the script. The script makes the situation seem not real, and the humor is poorly done. The late Max Patkin, clown prince of baseball is excellent & I saw him live at a minor league game, he was a class act & the script does not ruin his cameo role in this film. Too bad the whole film was not about Max, as a story about his life would make an interesting film. Bull Durham's problem is the script for the rest of the story this film tells is so mediocre. It is not written well enough to hang jokes on. This film could have been so much better that I think even Costner realized it & went on to do FIELD OF DREAMS in order to try & make the public forget about this effort. Baseball has been done in comedy form in a lot of films, & I would suggest the film MAJOR LEAGUE as being much better than this effort.

A comical story about baseball and sex. How can it miss? The minor league Durham Bull's have had their share of loses and looney characters. Raw talent sometimes is more plentiful than brains. Tim Robbins is a young pitcher, "Nuke" LaLoosh, needing a lot of instruction if he is to make it to the "bigs". Aging catcher, Crash Davis, played by Kevin Costner, is assigned to the team to whip the youngster into shape. The team's number one groupie, played by Susan Sarandon, wraps both players around her little finger. Hilarious situations and the lighter side of baseball. This movie made me a Sarandon fan. Robert Wuhl and Trey Wilson provide backup.

You often wonder why certain guys never make it in baseball given the fact that they have potential. We see this in the film. Kevin Costner is absolutely wonderful as such a player. An experienced catcher, he has what it takes, but only lasted in the major leagues for a brief period. He is resigned to the Durham minor league team where he meets up with fan and announcer Susan Sarandon who acquires a great southern accent for her role. Tim Robbins is the pitcher that Costner is assigned to work with. His appearances are memorable. Strikeouts and walks are the same high amount. Watch out when he throws, anyone there is vulnerable. That's what happens to the film-the vulnerability of the Sarandon-Costner- Robbins relationship comes into question.

It's the professional pitching debut of Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) for the A ball Durham Bulls. He has a million dollar arm and a five cents head. They bring in veteran catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) to mentor the young pitcher. Only he's too old for this stuff. Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) is a baseball philosopher and team super fan. Every year, she picks one player to hook up with and guide. Much to Crash's dismay, she picks Nuke. This is a funny and charming baseball movie. It's got Kevin Costner's great "I believe in..." speech. It's also got all the inside baseball interior-voice and behind-the-glove fun. It loves baseball both in its grandness and the little things. It romanticizes the game as well as its sad lowly grind. It's probably the best comedy movie about professional baseball.

If you're new to Earth and are wondering which Kevin Costner baseball film to start with, drive past "Field of Dreams" and take the exit marked, "Bull Durham." While both great movies, "Field of Dreams" requires a dream-like nostalgia for the era and aura of childhood in order to best feel that film inside your bones. "Bull Durham" edges it out by summoning outstanding character development across the board, and by supporting Coster's terrific portrayal with elite supporting acting from juggernauts Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. This is a classic film, and possibly the best there's been at conjuring the very nuanced American soul of baseball, as well as the unique characters and life-affirming truths our pastime evokes. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!)

I remember the first time I saw this film. I had won tickets from a local radio station and I saw it at a private screening at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. I remember as I was watching it that it was one of the greatest experiences I had in a movie in a long time. This film is not only a great sports film, but it is one of the great all around films I have ever seen. This film has it all from romance to comedy to witty dialogue. Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins all brought Ron Shelton's script to life and the three of them displayed some of the greatest chemistry ever captured on film. This film is a timeless classic.