The Church of Baseball

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2012)

Annie Savoy is a spiritual woman. Her religion is baseball. Every year she shares her spirituality, and her body, with one member of the hometown minor-league Durham Bulls. But this year Annie has a dilemma. She can't decide who this year's lover should be, wise old veteran catcher Crash Davis or hotshot rookie pitcher, and total rube, Nuke LaLoosh. Complicating matters is that Crash has been sent down to lowly single-A Durham for the sole purpose of grooming Nuke, the organization's golden child. But Crash quickly uncomplicates things by saying he's a veteran who's not going to try out to be Annie's fling of the year. With a memorable speech about what he believes in Crash leaves Annie with Nuke. He also leaves her very much pining for him.
So Annie embarks on her relationship with Nuke. She tries to give him a little bit of wisdom and spirituality. His interest in her does not seem to extend outside of bedroom activities. All the while Annie keeps a watchful eye on Crash. It's fairly obvious that Annie and Crash would make for a much better match than Annie and the hopelessly immature Nuke. But Crash keeps his distance. And meanwhile there's a baseball season to be played. And unlike so many sports movies this one gets the sports part right. It's a great depiction of minor-league life. Smart, quirky, often funny, always honest. It's very easy to buy into these Durham Bulls. These guys actually seem like a real team, with all the ups and downs of a season and all the complicated relationships a real team has. The movie focuses on Crash and Nuke but we get to know enough about the other players, and the coaches, to care about them too. This is the rare sports movie where the sports totally rings true. It feels real. But that doesn't mean it can't be funny too. Ever wonder what gets discussed during those interminable conferences on the pitching mound? This movie has a funny answer. There's nothing in the movie that will make you bust a gut laughing but there's plenty of subtle, smart humor to bring a smile to your face.
The movie is definitely helped by some pitch-perfect casting. Kevin Costner is superb as the worn-down, but wonderfully wise, veteran Crash. Tim Robbins is a hoot as cocky, flighty, silly Nuke. And Susan Sarandon is the perfect high priestess in the Church of Baseball. Her Annie Savoy is mature and worldly and fascinating enough to entice a man like Crash. And sexy enough to rope in young buck Nuke. Seeing Annie open herself up to the possibility of a real relationship, not her typical fleeting fling, is some of the best stuff the movie has to offer and Sarandon nails that change in the character wonderfully. Of course that change won't come easy. She may want to be with Crash but she's actually with Nuke and baseball keeps getting in the way. The relationship between Crash and Nuke will prove to be as important as any of Annie's entanglements. The old vet has to prepare the young star for life in the big leagues. But when the job is done, when Crash has done all he can to shape Nuke into the player and man he can be, then what? What use is there for Crash then? A sobering thought. Crash has led a terrific, albeit obscure, baseball life. What will that get him in the end? Annie has loved many a player in her own unique way and then sent them along up the baseball chain. Is it time to stop that particular cycle of life? And Nuke? Well, he's gonna announce his presence, bring the heat. And they all lived happily ever after? Who knows? The joy of Bull Durham is in embracing the possibility. This is a movie which gives us such great characters. And puts those characters to very entertaining use, making us smile and laugh but also making us care. A home run.