A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: For Love of the Game

Date Viewed: 10/2/99

Details:

Kevin Costner

Kelly Preston

John C. Reilly

Jena Malone

Director: Sam Raimi

Score: +

The Review: This is less a "baseball" movie than an extended romantic drama; not being an ardent baseball fan, however, this is not a fault. Framed by the last game of the season between the visiting Detroit Tigers (for which Costner is a veteran star pitcher) and the home New York Yankees, this movie is a series of flashbacks in Costner's five-year relationship with a New York fashion writer (Preston) and her daughter (Malone). The underlying metaphor is a bit hackneyed -- the progress of the game catalyzing the flashbacks and mirroring the progress of their relationship, and his affair with baseball.

The Tigers, as a team, is the significant third character in this story. The primary relationship Costner has is with his catcher (Reilly), but his manager and a fellow player -- who, under free agency, went with the Yankees and is now an opponent -- weave their way in and out of the story.

The game of baseball is Costner's (character's) life. He's done well by the Tigers for over 19 years, but we find out in the first few minutes of the movie that the team is being sold, and Costner will probably be traded unless he decides to retire. Likewise, we are introduced to Preston in the same first few minutes as she dumps Costner in the process of accepting a new job in London. The final season game then becomes a critical decision point for his character on several fronts; there's "no pressure" here.

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