A fan who has an affair with one minor-league baseball player each season meets an up-and-coming pitcher and the experienced catcher assigned to him.A fan who has an affair with one minor-league baseball player each season meets an up-and-coming pitcher and the experienced catcher assigned to him.A fan who has an affair with one minor-league baseball player each season meets an up-and-coming pitcher and the experienced catcher assigned to him.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 7 wins & 6 nominations total
Lloyd T. Williams
- Mickey
- (as Lloyd Williams)
Gregory Avellone
- Doc
- (as Greg Avelone)
Garland Bunting
- Teddy - Radio Announcer
- (as Carey 'Garland' Bunting)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
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.
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.
First of I have to say i'm from the UK, i've never played baseball seen a baseball game or have any ideas to the finer rules of baseball but this will not stop you enjoying this film. This film is about a way of life and you can enjoy it in the same way as you can watch a film about a great explorer without ever having left your own country. For Crash, Nuke, Annie and all the other characters in here baseball is a way of life not a sport and it is to be respected and in some cases worshipped. For me the best scene in this movie comes in the pool hall at the end with three generations of baseball player we know that one day nuke, will be in crash's position and that crash will eventually be in the old guys position it's the baseball way of life. Howevever it's a way of life that's changing and this is shown in the almost forlorn at times shot's of the ballpark and main characters, like the lady says you have to respect the ball player who's just trying to finish out the season.
Direction, script and performances (Costner's best performance ever I think even over Field of Dreams and the Untouchables) are superb see this movie you wont regret it. 8/10
Direction, script and performances (Costner's best performance ever I think even over Field of Dreams and the Untouchables) are superb see this movie you wont regret it. 8/10
It is nice to see a movie that attracts more than one kind of audience. This is a comedy, then again a love story. This can be placed in the baseball genre as well as a coming of age drama. Most movies claim to be one or the other and sometimes fail to be. Then again, when a good movie hits a homerun it can not only become a money maker and a box office smash, it can also become timeless. Before they became giants of Hollywood, Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins stars in this great movie as some of the most interesting, yet simple characters. Costner plays an aging baseball player who meets with rookie, soon to be great major league pitcher Tim Robbins. Out of the rafters comes Susan Surandon who, in her own may, is a Muse of the religion of baseball. Together, the three introduce three different worlds upon the audience. Each are believable characters even though they are in a way, fantasy like. A great story with a perfect ending, Bull Durham is one of those hard to find movies that is a crowd pleaser with just about every audience out there.
There may be many great baseball movies but there's only one classic and it's not Redford's The Natural or Costner's own Field of Dreams. It's Bull Durham, an underrated movie from 1988.
Tim Robbins is a natural fit as a cocky young pitcher and so is Kevin Costner as the veteran ball player whose main job is to coach Robbins into becoming a better player. The humour is first class and it's tough to single out a scene in particular. If you like humour that's not in your face ha-ha, you'll love Bull Durham.
But, wait, I haven't told you about the movie's biggest strength - Susan Sarandon. This is the movie where I fell in love with the woman. As Annie Savoy, she's smart, sassy and incredibly sexy. Her lines are impeccably written and her character is just fun to watch.
What Bull Durham had in humour and spirit, Field of Dreams made up with sentimentality and nostalgia. Nevertheless, I will also consider Bull Durham to be the better film, mainly because the filmmakers weren't trying to make a great film. They weren't trying to give it a glow like Field of Dreams had. They just wanted to make a fun baseball film in the league of Major League and they hit the bullseye!
Tim Robbins is a natural fit as a cocky young pitcher and so is Kevin Costner as the veteran ball player whose main job is to coach Robbins into becoming a better player. The humour is first class and it's tough to single out a scene in particular. If you like humour that's not in your face ha-ha, you'll love Bull Durham.
But, wait, I haven't told you about the movie's biggest strength - Susan Sarandon. This is the movie where I fell in love with the woman. As Annie Savoy, she's smart, sassy and incredibly sexy. Her lines are impeccably written and her character is just fun to watch.
What Bull Durham had in humour and spirit, Field of Dreams made up with sentimentality and nostalgia. Nevertheless, I will also consider Bull Durham to be the better film, mainly because the filmmakers weren't trying to make a great film. They weren't trying to give it a glow like Field of Dreams had. They just wanted to make a fun baseball film in the league of Major League and they hit the bullseye!
"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.
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.
Did you know
- TriviaRon Shelton was a former minor league baseball player and used his experience as the basis for the story.
- GoofsWhen Crash hits the home run he promised off the opening breaking ball, he stares intently at far left field, but the ball ends up in deep right center.
- Quotes
Crash Davis: This son of a bitch is throwing a two-hit shutout. He's shaking me off. You believe that shit? Charlie, here comes the deuce. And when you speak of me, speak well.
- SoundtracksCenterfield
Written and Performed by John Fogerty
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
By arrangement with Warner Special Products
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- La bella y el campeón
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $8,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $50,888,729
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,009,301
- Jun 19, 1988
- Gross worldwide
- $50,888,729
- Runtime
- 1h 48m(108 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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