Costner Goes Right Where Message in the Bottle Went Wrong.

Rating: 8/10 (5 November 2015)

For Love of the Game (1999): Dir: Sam Raimi / Cast: Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, John C. Reilly, Brian Cox, Jena Malone: Drama about loving something enough to give it up. It regards a man searching for where he wants to be and where he should be. It regards decisions and regrets and stars Kevin Costner as a baseball pitcher of nineteen years who may be pitching his final game due to an arm injury. His mind is on his girlfriend who is leaving for Europe for a better job position. Costner reflects upon their relationship through the entire game. Predictable with some unnecessary elements. Despite clichés the baseball footage is fantastic with director Sam Raimi pulling off suspense with regards to the fate of the leads. This is an interesting departure for a director known for creating the Evil Dead movies. Costner's wrestles through frustration for what matters most. He is in position to give up one love for the greater gain of another. Kelly Preston is well cast as his girlfriend whom he first encounters having car trouble. While the leads pull through, the supporting roles are typical and flat mainly placed for cliché moments. Among them are John C. Reilly and Brian Cox who can do better but get reduced to under written roles that take second fiddle to the leads. With that one complaint aside this contains strong themes regarding love for what matters most. Score: 8 / 10