Bull Durham

There are few films that capture the spirit of baseball so accurately and so amusingly as "Bull Durham", the 1988 gem starring Kevin Costner (in his most charming, pre-Michael-Cimino-clone phase), Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins.

"Bull Durham" is a story about the Durham Bulls, a struggling minor league team, and the numerous characters that comprise and support the team. Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a sultry small-town woman whose love of men is equalled only by her love of baseball. Each season, she selects a member of the Bulls and opens his eyes to the secrets of life both on and off the field. This season, that guy is new team member Ebby Calvin Laloosh (Tim Robbins), a top pitching prospect with "a million-dollar arm and a five-cent head". Ebby has been given a huge signing bonus, but so far his play has been wildly uneven, walking and striking out equally large numbers of batters. The beleaguered manager of the Bulls (Trey Wilson), worried about Ebby's erratic performance on the field, is instructed to bring in someone who will be able to break in the young prospect. The organization sends him legendary minor league catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner), a pragmatic veteran in the twilight of his career.

There are immediate sparks between the world-wise Crash and Annie, and soon enough, Crash, Annie & Ebby, rechristened by Annie as "Nuke", find themselves enmeshed in a love triangle, with Annie in total command of the situation. Crash, knowing the difference between choice & the illusion of choice, takes himself out of the equation right off the bat. But as the season marches on, Crash is forced to confront his feelings about Annie, who also knows a secret about him; he's poised to break the minor league home-run record.

Who will Annie choose; Nuke or Crash? Will the Bulls pull it all together to make a magical season? Will Crash break the record? Well, unlike many other movies in the 80's, this is one movie where the outcome is always in doubt. This is also one of those rare 80's movies where the filmmakers never go overboard with the cheese. It's sentimental about love and the sport of baseball, without being maudlin. "Bull Durham" is filled with great supporting characters that are just as well-developed as the principals, witty dialogue, great cinematography, a bit of existentialist humor and an involving plot.

It's also got numerous classic scenes, such as when Crash tells Annie exactly what in life he believes in. Or the well-known scene where the players meet on the mound during a game to talk, covering such diverse topics as performance anxiety, voodoo curses, engagement announcements, and the perfect wedding present... all in the space of 5 minutes!

Add to that the perfectly cast leads, mix it all together with a whole lotta heart, and you've got a movie that should be on anybody's short list of the best movies of the last 20 years: "Bull Durham".