Bull Durham

I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan. I have seen a grand total of 4 major league ball games (I saw the Card's lose to the Mets (the same year they won the series, oddly enough), saw them beat the Cubs several years later, then watched the White Sox split 2 games with the Orioles). When I root for a team, it goes like this, the Cards over whoever, the Cubs over anyone but the Cards, and the White Sox over anyone (unless they should ever have to play the Cards in the series, then I'm not sure). But, if you live in Durham NC, you'd root for the local minor league team, The Bulls.

As you should have guessed from the introduction, this film is primarily about a baseball team. The Bulls aren't exactly the most successful team in the Carolina League, but The Organization (sounds like the Mafia, doesn't it), has signed up a hot new pitcher; Eppie Calvin 'Nuke' La Louche (aka Meat). Nuke has a blinding fast ball, but atrocious aim, and a severe lack of control. In his first professional game he breaks the league record for strike outs, as well as the record for walks. Enter Crash Davis, the player to be named later. Crash has been in the minor leagues about as long as Nuke has been walking, and it's his job to mature the kid. The problem is, one of the teams biggest fans, Annie Savoy, has also decided to take Nuke under her wing. You see, each year, Annie picks one player that she tries to mature a little, on the field and off. This year she decides to choose between Crash and Nuke, but Crash isn't interested in anyone interested in 'that boy'. So, Annie starts her training of Nuke, and Crash starts his. The team, with the exception of Crash, has been performing poorly, but as Nuke learns about Life and Baseball, things start looking up. Nuke starts winning games and everyone is happy except for Annie. Her problem is, Nuke is on a streak, and he thinks he's winning because he hasn't been sleeping with her. After one successful road trip, he comes back and she tries to seduce him, but he tells her that Crash told him not to have sex with her. She rushes to Crash's house to yell at him, and he reminds her about the sanctity of the Streak. She utters the line 'This has been a hell of a year, the Bulls can't lose, and I can't get laid', and realizes that she's absolutely, totally in love with Crash. Well, the Bulls lose the game that night (Crash manages to get himself thrown out of the Game, and the rest of the team just falls to pieces), and she realizes that a man is going to be coming over, the problem is, it will be the wrong man. Sure enough, Nuke is at the doorstep, but before anything can happen, he gets the call; He's going to the Major Leagues. The Organization decides that the experiment with Nuke worked so well, that they'll try it out with a new catcher. Crash gets released from his contract, goes to Annie (who already knows) and they spend an indeterminate amount of time going after each other .. in bed .. on the floor .. on the kitchen table .. in a bath tub .. until finally the day comes when he goes off to another town, just so he can finish the season, and break the minor league home run record. One rained out day, Annie comes home to find Crash sitting on her porch swing. He says he hit his dinger (a dinger is a home run, you dirty minded people), and he's done with playing, though he might try managing. Annie says she's done with players, but not baseball, and that she thinks he'll be the best manager ever. Then they go in and dance.

The film stars Kevin Costner (Crash Davis), Susan Sarandon (Annie Savoy), and Tim Robbins (Nuke), as well as Trey Wilson (the manager) and Robert Wuhl (the assistant manager (you might remember him better as the reporter Knox, from Batman)). This is one of Costner's better films, mainly because he gets to be himself - no living the pure good life of the Indian - no horrendous attempts at a British accent - just a good old southern ballplayer. Robbins does his usual excellent job playing someone completely clueless. And Sarandon hasn't been sexier since playing Janet Wiess in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Robbins and Sarandon fell in love during the filming of this movie and moved in together shortly after. The film is highly watchable, even if you don't like baseball, and at the end, you and your significant other can dance around the living room with Annie and Crash - Care to?