A solid film

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2005)

This film comes closest to what life is like on a real baseball team then any other film ever made. Costner's Crash Davis is a very realistic portrayal of an older player who is just trying to hang on, smart enough to guide other players, but not smart enough to know that his time has passed, and that he needs to move on. Like many players, he is unwilling to stop playing the game he loves. While it is hard to believe that a player as dumb as Tim Robbins, "Nuke" Laloosh is shown to be would ever exist, the movie is realistic in having the organization bring in an older experienced player to help coach him, and show him the ropes. Such things do occur all the time. The love story, between Sarandon and Costner is also very believable, and really helps to move the movie along, as Crash finally grows up and becomes a man, with all the commitments that come with that. Reality, wins out in this film, and it does so with a great deal of heart. The direction is fluid, and keeps the story and the action moving along, without getting bogged down. All in all a fine film.