For Love of the Game Movie Review 1999

The baseball glove has long been gold for Costner. In his third baseball outing, he moderately scores as veteran Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel, facing a crossroad in his professional and personal life. In 1-2-3 manner, he learns that the team he's played on for 20 years has been sold, the new owners want to trade him, and his longtime girlfriend, Jane (Preston), is dumping him prior to an important game with the Yankees. Magically, he's this close to pitching a perfect game, as the last five years of his life flash before him. Sudsy, predictable romance overshadows the game action, but harder-edged Raimi, with his own love for the game, injects some striking visual flair. Costner pitched a fit against the studio for editing out his infamous penis shot to ensure a kid-friendly rating. Based on the novel by Michael Shaara.

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 137 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Baseball, Growing Older, Sports Dramas, Director/Star Teams: Raimi & 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88

Screenplay

Dana Stevens

Cast

Michael (Mike) Papajohn, Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, John C. Reilly, Jena Malone, Brian Cox, J.K. Simmons, Bill Rogers, Vin Scully, Carmine D. Giovinazzo, Hugh Ross, Steve Lyons

Cinematography

John Bailey

Director

Sam Raimi

Music

Basil Poledouris

Producer

Universal Studios