Bull Durham (1988)

This might seem like an odd movie for us to review here at Gutmunchers.  The truth is I’m a big fan of baseball and movies based around baseball teams don’t get much better then Bull Durham.  The story here has a hot young pitching prospect named Ebby (Tim Robbins) being brought into pitch for a minor league team called the Durham Bulls.  But he has some issues finding the strike zone.  So they bring in a veteran catcher called Crash (Kevin Costner) to help him along.  Lucky for Ebby he also has a baseball groupie named Annie (Susan Sarandon) who takes an interest in him on and off the field.  The rest of the movie is Ebby trying to get his head straight, all while Crash and Annie try and figure each other out.  Toss in a ton of baseball and you have a pretty good movie.

And this really is a good movie.  As I’ve already stated I dig baseball and this movie captures the feel of being in a minor league ballpark about as good as any movie I’ve seen.  If you have never been to a minor league game you should go.  I also dig the scenes on the field with the players interacting with each other.  Unlike a lot of baseball movies the actors here look like they could actually be players, which helps the movie.  There are also some pretty funny scenes, like the bit where all the players are on the mound and the bench coach comes out to ask them what they are talking about.  What makes Bull Durham really special though are the scenes away from the ballpark.  The characters of Crash, Annie, and Ebby are all interesting.  Every time I sit down and watch the movie I’m rooting for the characters, which I suppose is kind of silly since I’ve already seen it before and know what happens.  But this is that kind of movie. 

In addition to a great story with wonderfully staged baseball scenes Bull Durham boasts a solid cast. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have real chemistry on screen (and obviously off screen!).  Also in the movie is the underappreciated, but always solid Robert Wuhl.  He doesn’t have a lot of scenes, but is good where he is given the chance.  Plus he provides the payoff to the joke that I mentioned bit with the players all talking at the mound.  Finally I needed to mention Kevin Costner , who really was at the top of his game here.  His performance as Crash is the heart and soul of a movie that has a lot of heart!  If we the audience don’t like him then the movie isn’t going to work.  He is good and because of that the movie is good. 

For this review I watched the new Blu-Ray of the movie.  First off I have to say they did a great job.  The movie has never looked better and it really takes advantage of the high def format.  The new Blu-Ray also includes a DVD of the movie, which isn’t that strange.  But what I did find a bit weird was the fact that all the special features are on the DVD.  This includes a couple of commentaries, which means you need to watch the DVD to listen to them.  That is a bit of bummer.  Though the commentaries, including one with the director, Ron Shelton, and one with stars Costner and Robbins are both well worth checking out.  There is also a nifty making of feature called Between the Line – The Making of Bull Durham, as well as a couple other features on the DVD.  Again my only complaint is that I really wanted to check out the commentaries while watching the Blu-Ray.

I suppose if you don’t enjoy baseball or just don’t dig sports movies then Bull Durham isn’t for you.  But as a fan of both I’m going to recommend everyone check out the movie and the new Blu-Ray of it.  Highly recommended.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer

© Copyright 2010 John Shatzer