Bull Durham (1988)

ridiculous rating

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

On the surface, "Pastime" might seem similar, but "Pastime" is the best baseball movie, and "Bull Durham" is the worst. I love baseball movies, love Kevin Costner, love "Field of Dreams", but this is the worst. It smells like a pathetic attempt to teach mediocre people to be content with mediocrity.

Continuing my plan to watch every Kevin Costner movie in order, I come to 1988's Bull Durham Plot In A Paragraph: Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) a baseball fan who takes a new lover each season, finds her life complicated when Crash Davis (KC) an aging catcher is brought to the The Bull Durham's to provide some help for "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) a hot young pitcher who has a great fastball but no control or handle on life. If there was a list of the best baseball movies of all time, Bull Durham would be up there. Alongside movies such as The Natural, Pride Of The Yankees and of course KC's classic Field Of Dreams, it remains one of the best-loved baseball movies of all time, yet it doesn't really connect with me despite near perfect performances from the three leads. KC is feeling confident after the success of The Untouchables and it shows in Bull Durham he's a star in the making here, and boy does he know it. Having skyrocketed from near obscurity to fame, Bull Durham gives KC and opportunity to be flashy!! Something he could not do when playing Elliot Ness, and the role of Crash shows a different side to him. It's a role he really seeks his teeth into, and with this performance he emerges as a true star.I think Surandon should have been nominated for an Oscar for her work here. Her Whitman-quoting, sex-positive Southern belle just oozes confidence and sexuality.Sarandon and Robbins have been an off-screen couple ever since this movie. Sarandon is older than both her co-stars (at the time of filming, she was 41, Costner was 32, and Robbins was 29), and this is a rare instance in which an over-40 actress is allowed the opportunity to act as a sex symbol. Although there is obvious chemistry between the two, it is surprising that brighter sparks fly between her and Costner. It's a good romantic triangle, though, with plenty of sexual tension. There are some nice quiet little scenes that for me are some of the best in the movie, as when a player is called into the office and told his contract is not being picked up.As sports movies go, this one is defiantly unconventional. The genre formula calls for the film to end with a big game, but that doesn't happen here. Instead, Nuke is promoted to the majors, and Crash (his job done) is released. There is no big championship game, no home run or anything. In Bull Durham the baseball is actually the background to the love triangle.

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.

Bull Durham is a really good baseball film that doesn't only give you the finer points of baseball, but it supplies the audience with a good amount of well-developed characters. This film is supposed to be a comedy, but I didn't see it as one. Sure, there were some funny moments but I feel this movie should be seen more as a feel-good drama. With a light atmosphere, this film is a great date night film for sure. Even those who don't like baseball would like this film.Ron Shelton's film is about a 12-year veteran catcher of the minor leagues named Crash Davis who is assigned to mentor hotshot pitcher Ebby "Nuke." Along their moments of bondage, they rival each other in getting the attention of Annie who believes in the "Church of Baseball" and she has a program where she chooses one player per season to be her lover.This film is well-acted. Because of his acting abilities and natural athleticism, Kevin Costner does really well in this film. Perhaps one of his finest film roles rivaling Field of Dreams. Tim Robbins, who is a newcomer here, does very well and is quite a dandy to watch. Susan Sarandon has plenty of talent and she makes great use of it here.Overall, this film is one of the greatest baseball films made. It is not really funny, but more witty. I love the confrontations on the mound between Costner and Robbins since they show such great chemistry. This movie is basically a three-run home run right here. Perhaps one of the finest baseball films to hit this planet thanks to it's big heart and well-developed characters. I rate this film 9/10.