Believable look at a Pro Athlete

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2006)

This movie is one of the very best character studies of an athlete. The script, the direction, and Costner's performance yield an insightful profile of a driven character. Driven but not a jerk, and so the course of the relationship developed between the athlete and Kelly Preston's character is credible and engaging. The ways in which the other players are brought into the episodes that tell us about the main character resonate for amateur players and other baseball fans. All the performances ring familiar and true. Vin Scully is given the green light on cornball baseball homilies, but just to have Vinny's voice seasoning the movie gives authority and authenticity throughout.