For Love of the Game

This was one of those rare events where you find yourself clicking through channels and luck upon the beginning of a movie so engrossing that the world completely stops until the credits roll. This is Costner's greatest performance, with a depth of emotion that we've never seen before.

This is much more than a baseball film. It's a love story about love and baseball, and life and facing the future when you finally "grow up." It's about the choices behind us and the chances ahead.

As not a American i just love these kind of movies, this is a great movie. This is real American drama and a feel good movie. I saw this many times and just watch Moneyball also a great movie. I just say if wanna watch a movie about baseball that also has some feel good and you can see with your girl without the story he you wanna watch sports again watch this. Great makes me pink a cry every time.

I would have to say that I have seen very few movies better than For Love of the Game. My favorite genre is Romantic Comedy. This wasn't a comedy, but it was feel good. It was light drama and it was extremely well done.

Costner portrayed an aging baseball player with a romantic attachment to the game that reminded me of Robert Redford in The Natural - another movie I rated a 9. The symbolism of the movie was the notion of ending a romance for the game and transferring that romance to a woman. For him, at least, there was room for only one at a time. And, fortunately for her, his career was at the very end. Fortunately for us, we got to see his last game interspersed with flashbacks.

The movie was brilliantly done with respect to the actual game of baseball. I cannot recall having seen a sports movie that did such an excellent job of maintaining accuracy about the game. I honestly could have believed I was watching an actual game. The plays were realistic. The situations realistic. And, Vin Scully was sensational doing the play by play.

I've only rated a few movies as 10's in my life. One of them was Field of Dreams - another Costner vehicle. This movie wasn't far behind FOD. In fact, it was nearly as magical and it was a lot more romantic. Why the reviewers of IMDB only give it a 6.7 is beyond me.

This is a tale of Kevin Costner's baseball pitcher in his last game as a pro and on the verge of a perfect game. All this is intercut with flashbacks to poignant moments in his life as he contemplates his career, his life and his loves.

Sam Raimi, surprisingly considering his horror leanings, directs very well, if a little schmaltzy toward the end. Costner is great, Kelly Preston is ok and a touch underwritten. John C Reilly offers great support.

Best not to judge the movie too harshly. Just put your phone down and let the warm waves of cheese wash over you as you succumb to the somewhat sappy loveliness.

FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context......

"They just don't make 'em like they used to!" As regards "For Love of the Game", the above comment applies to both movies and baseball players!

Old-fashioned, straight-ahead storytelling, complimented by solid performances, extremely convincing on-the-field action, excellent photography and more than competent direction by Sam Raimi, make for a resoundingly entertaining movie... even if you're not much of a baseball fan!

Perhaps the best thing going for the film is its truly innovative integration and balance of rapid-fire on-going game vs. Relationship development flashback elements, allowing the viewer to "get inside the athlete's head" in a way no other movie in recent memory does. FOR LOVE thusly manages to put a signature spin on the subjective experience of a great athlete's swan song by sharing and highlighting the stark contrast between the external precision and perfection of the real-world game in progress, and the turbulent, highly personal, inner-world of the passions that drive him.

Kevin Costner, certainly NOT the greatest actor in the world, literally shines in the mother of all tailor made roles. Kelly Preston shows us a highly focused intensity, in just what may be her best on screen appearance to date! John C. Reilly, although cast as the solid-as-a-rock-always-there-when-you-need-him-on-the-sidelines Catcher, plays to the hilt a supporting role, in every sense of the word.

There are moments in FOR LOVE however, that seem a touch too maudlin, trying just a little too hard to jerk that extra tear. A few of these melancholy scenes are drawn out to the point of making the viewer self-conscious and put upon. These occasional excesses are easily overlooked, however, in light of the films many strengths and its overall highly engrossing nature.

8*.....ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!