For Love of the Game (1999)

Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is having a bad day. His girlfriend Jane (Kelly Preston, stunning as ever) says she's leaving, and his boss (Brian Cox) says he's selling the business and ace employee Billy may be out of job. Sounds like business as usual for an old-fashioned veteran. However, the business is baseball and for Billy Chapel, the 40-year old former all-star for the Detroit Tigers, it means his career--and his life--is at a crossroads.

Although it is no Bull Durham, For Love of the Game finds a solid and very believable role for Costner. The film is based on Michael Shaara's (The Killer Angels) stream-of-consciousness novel (the rough manuscript was found after his death 1988). The entire film takes place on Billy's day on the mound against the Yankees, a meaningless late-season game for the Tigers, but everything for Billy. In flashbacks, he lingers over his long relationship with Jane and his baseball career (from World Series heroism to a career-threatening injury). His one viable link to the game at hand is his catcher, played winningly by John C. Reilly. Costner, like Chapel, is looking for one more great performance, but the film is too simplistic and loopy at times to resonate. The love story has an extra helping of cuteness, and legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully nearly takes on a leading role, waxing grandiloquent. It's no grand slam, but a solid double. --Doug Thomas Amazon.com

DVD

I originally ordered the HD DVD and it doesn't work on our DVD player. The company made it so easy to return. I ordered the correct one and received it within a few days. We are enjoying our new movie! January 6, 2009

For Love of the Game

Good story line. I bought it for my husband and I ended up watching it with him. December 16, 2008

My Love for "For Love of the Game"

I bought the movie for my boyfriend. We watched it together solely because it was written by one of his favorite authors. To be honest, I was not expecting anything tremendous. We both really enjoyed it. It had a little bit for both of us. Really good film. September 15, 2008

Kevin Baseball

Costner has made about 5 or 6 good movies, and three of them are about baseball. Bull Durham is the comedy, Field of Dreams is the spiritual, but For Love of the Game is the more realistic of the bunch.
Billy Chapel (Costner) is an aging veteran pitcher for a bad Detroit team in the twilight of his career who must decide on retirement, or accepting a trade. The movie takes place over the course of just 1 game, with back flashes of his relationship with Jane (Kelly Preston).
The movie touches on the celebrity of athletes, and the difficulties of having a normal relationship. I personally thought that the underlying theme was about choosing between a career or a relationship, but I'm sure it was probably deeper than that.
I have always thought that Costner was a bit of a ham who takes himself way too seriously, and while at times in this movie he tends to fall into that role, Billy Chapel is more of an understated character, and Costner is by far at his best when he plays that kind of role.
April 7, 2008

For The Love of the Game

Kevin Costner gives a very compelling performance as a baseball player at the end of his career. He is very realistic in the role and brings thought provoking issues to light. How do you decide to hang up your glove and leave a game that has been the most important thing in your life? It was great that he could personally do the pitching in this movie because it would have lost a lot of the realism and credibility if they had to use someone else. March 30, 2008

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