Bull Durham (1988)

I don't even know where to start on this one. I mean, when I was in college I picked a crap apartment because it was in walking distance of a few of my favorite bars. Now that I am almost 40, just turned 37, I picked my last apartment because it was across the street from a very active softball diamond.

I don't have kids, but that has never stopped me from going to high school and little league baseball games just to spend an afternoon in the summer watching baseball.

For anyone that has their soul crushed time and again because they had the misfortune of being raised in the cult of the Cubs...or I guess the Red Sox too, you already know the peace it brings when you get to watch a game whose outcome you don't really care about.

The minors have that appeal as well, at least when you live in a major northern city. But up here minor league games are often hard to find.

And, in 1988 they made a movie about minor league baseball.

Not only that, but they summed up a lot of the pure obsession we have for the sport.

In fact, "Bull Durham" opened with it.

"I believe in the Church of Baseball. I've tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance." I could never throw a baseball well, I could never get my body to move in that awkward way, so I played football instead. A football I could throw no problem, but it was a sport I never really watched. It was always baseball I tuned into. It was baseball I loved. It was baseball I cared about.

It even got to the point where, after Sosa and McGwire in '98, I tried to stop, to shake that monkey off my back only to be relieved, 3 years later, when Bonds stole that honor away from the Cardinals...a team that I hold an irrational hatred towards for reasons only baseball fans can really explain.

"Bull Durham," explains ALL of that, the love, the hate, the euphoria, the deep depressions, and that affirmation of life in a way that lovingly mocks it all.

It feeds into the psyche of every baseball fan in a way the "Field of Dreams" and the "Sandlot" appealed to the child and the sense of perpetual summer in all of us.

It makes you laugh and it does it with wit and it's own little wisdoms.

Not only that, but it brings baseball to life for everyone, fans and laymen alike.

It's a masterpiece of comedy and a must see for any addict of the sport.

Fmovies: This one's a total cutie. America's two favorite pastimes, baseball and sex, combine in Bull Durham, a delightful romantic comedy with a real-life happy ending.

Susan Sarandon, in her totally adorable heyday, plays a baseball groupie with a tradition of having an affair with a different player of the Durham Bulls each season. This season, the lucky man has been chosen, but what happens when a new, handsome, charming, sexy coach shows up and throws a wrench in her plans? What a love triangle! Susan Sarandon torn between Tim Robbins and Kevin Costner—get ready for some steamy scenes! And how darling is this: Susan and Tim became real-life sweetie-pies during this movie and became one of the most famous acting couples in America.

Between Susan's adorable North Carolina accent and a smart, sexy, and hilarious script, Bull Durham is a must-see. Just make sure to put the kiddies to bed first.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some pretty steamy sex scenes and language, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

One of the best sports movies I've ever seen. I have a friend who's a total baseball nut, and this is the movie he quotes all the time. If he endorses it that's good enough for me.

The story takes place during one portion of a season with the Durham Bulls, a minor-league team in the Carolina League. It follows the players and hangers-on. Taking what I hope is a somewhat realistic look at how life really is in not only the minor leagues but on up through the majors.

One of my favorite scenes is the one where Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) teaches "Meat" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) the cliches he will use when dealing with the press. After watching that scene, reading the sports pages was never the same.

I hope you get a laugh from this flick as well.

Bull Durham fmovies. "Bull Durham" is one of those engaging sports films that can be enjoyed no matter if one isn't a fan of the sport in question - in this case, baseball. There's all the love in the world for this great American pastime, but there's also some interesting and literate discussions going on all the time in this smart and witty comedy, as well as some memorable characters whom we like and find easy to watch.

Kevin Costner plays "Crash" Davis, a veteran minor league catcher who's hired by the Durham Bulls to act as a mentor to their new pitcher Ebby LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). Ebby is in need of some direction, as he may be truly talented but has ego and discipline problems. At the same time, sexy Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon), the Bulls' loyal groupie, takes an interest in Ebby as she makes a habit of hooking up with one young player every season and helping the man to mature. Naturally, some sparks fly as the two guys both get attracted to Annie.

Writer / director Ron Shelton truly knows the territory, having been a minor league baseball player himself, although he doesn't in truth feature a lot of game action. His dialogue is often very funny and often very profane. A lot of humour comes from Annies' manipulation of the naive Ebby, whom she nicknames "Nuke" and has him do things like wear a garter, thinking this will improve his game. And while the film does get serious at times, it never becomes too maudlin. As was said previously, the attraction comes from watching three intriguing characters and three fine performances. With fine support by Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl, Costner, Sarandon, and Robbins make the most of the material. There's also some endearing goofiness from the real-life "Clown Prince of Baseball", a man named Max Patkin. And to top it all off, there are some very sexy scenes in this thing, especially towards the end. All in all, this likable story has a little something for everybody, and is well worth a viewing.

Eight out of 10.

It's the professional pitching debut of Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) for the A ball Durham Bulls. He has a million dollar arm and a five cents head. They bring in veteran catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) to mentor the young pitcher. Only he's too old for this stuff. Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) is a baseball philosopher and team super fan. Every year, she picks one player to hook up with and guide. Much to Crash's dismay, she picks Nuke.

This is a funny and charming baseball movie. It's got Kevin Costner's great "I believe in..." speech. It's also got all the inside baseball interior-voice and behind-the-glove fun. It loves baseball both in its grandness and the little things. It romanticizes the game as well as its sad lowly grind. It's probably the best comedy movie about professional baseball.

The movie reviews that have been said about this amazing film are quite possibly the least impressive writing that has ever been put down on the internet. If you don't respect baseball you wouldn't like this movie. You may like baseball but unless you respect the sanctity of the games with its quirks and its traditions you won't understand this movie. The plot revolves around what every baseball player dreams of. Sex with an incredible and mysterious women and making it to the highest echelon of players that has ever graced the sanctity of a baseball diamond.

What makes this movie even better is the depth that it goes into. This movie depicts the minor leagues of a yester year and how the game was meant to be played. This marvelous film depicts the struggles that goes on not only with baseball players but with all human beings. The struggle between men and women, teacher and student, and different personalities in a work environment. The parallels between all of life and this movie are great. The baseball is even better. The fact that it doesn't get more respect as a classic is surprising because of America's fascination with baseball and sex.

Costner's speech is the best speech of its kind. The way that he says it could not be delivered by any other performer. Sarandon's character shows how women seek acceptance from men in different ways and even though she is brilliant she still needs to be accepted in a man's world. Robbin's character show the difficulties that an incredible talent has in harnessing that talent into a great career. The way that they address the season and baseball as a business and a love has not and will not be done any other way. The way Costner struggles being a great baseball player and a career Minor Leaguer with an abundance of knowledge and love for the game sets his character apart from any other. The way he finishes out his career by hitting the last dinger that sets the minor league records shows the struggles that exist between a man's love of a child's game and a depiction of what every boy goes through be it high school, college, or a career as a professional baseball player. The monologues that Sarandon's character gives expresses the simplicity of the game as well as how complicated it is along with every other facet of life. This baseball movie is not only baseball but a way of life.