Funny, nostalgic, moving, and sexy.

Rating: Null/10 (28 July 2003)

There was a time when you saw a constellation of stars turn into the logo for Orion Pictures. When you saw that, you knew (usually) you were in for a good time. For a brief, but wonderful time, Orion Pictures signified great movies. This was one of them.
Bull Durham is a wonderfully romantic look at the world of minor league baseball and relationships. Director Ron Shelton presented a loving tribute to his days as a ballplayer and the men who played with him. He also presented one of the most interesting love triangles and some of the most romantic and sexyist love scenes ever put on celluloid.
Everyone is great in this. Costner is the aging ballplayer just trying to hang on until it's time to hang up his cleats. Susan Sarandon is the existential groupie who molds young players, but falls hard for the veteran. Tim Robbins is the rookie who learns about the game and life from both. Add great supporting performances from Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl, as well as the rest of the team.
The film has endured well because the emotion and relationships that are the center of it hold true. It's not just a baseball movie. It's a coming of age story, a romance, and the end of a chapter in life. It is warm, funny, loving, and oh so entertaining.
It's interesting to watch the dvd and listen to the commentary track from Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins. It is quite entertaining, but, when the film reaches Costner and Sarandon's love scenes, Robbins gets very quiet, and Costner becomes very uncomfortable trying to cover the silence. Robbins' comment that they haven't shown this film to their kids brings a bit of a chuckle. How do you explain Dad with another woman at the beginning and Mom with another man at the end? Probably one of the more unique parenting dilemas.
Watch this film. It is one for the ages.