Bull Durham
It's not just an amazing title: the film is inspired by the early 1900's MLB pitcher!
Summer now and baseball is back with us and that is good, like this movie. Poetry, presence and love, for real aficionados of 'America's Game,' that's the sport, and Bull Durham purposefully blurs it with the real thing — lots of Whitman quotes, Edith Piaf, etc. — and it works because it is done without pretense and with purpose.
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Like baseball before the pitch clock and universal DH, this movie is of another time and place, one receding and increasingly far away. I remember and loved it, that place, the way it was slower and stronger. Bull Durham left me glad for love, and longing, longing for when, not long ago, men were strong and even fought with fists (but not anxiously or erratically) and women were beautiful, strong in their skin, seductive and unadulterated. Everything was less plastic, less distracted.
Baseball is a game simultaneously intense and languid, it rewards patience and presence, essential elements of love. Bull Durham gets love.
Further notes: Good performances. Susan Sarandon is pretty and put together and just vulnerable enough. Costner plays himself and looks great doing it. Tim Robbins is very charming. This movie is full of hopeful hearts! And isn't that life? It should be. There's a goofy, exuberant 80's sex scene (+), it goes for more than one scene! And it has a sax love theme! I'm for it. (Shades of Top Gun). Finally, to love Annie’s altar to beisbol is awesome.
Best Scene: Kevin Costner's Bull confronts Tim Robbin's pitcher in an alley behind a bar. Challenged to a fight, he goads Robbins into throwing (a baseball) at him instead. Robbins misses. It's wild! Robbins gets punched in the face and learns a valuable lesson. Great.
Memorable quote: There were a few. My favorite: I'm Crash Davis, I'm your catcher. And you just got lesson number one -- don't think. It can only hurt the ballclub.
Conclusion: 👍🏼
Details:
Title: Bull Durham
Genre: Drama/Sports
Country USA
Director (and writer): Ron Shelton
Year: 1988
Starring: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson, Robert Wuhl