If the term 'beautiful' could be used to describe any film it would be this one. Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones especially give great performances in what is essentially an ensemble piece but Amy Madigan also performs with strength and grace, quite uncommon for female 'wives/girlfriends' of the time. It's a great little story about a guy who does the crazy thing of plowing up his crops in order to build a baseball field because voices in his head have told him to. As the film moves along more and more people are drawn to it and start to believe that the best stars of the past have somehow come back from heaven to once again knock a few balls around. I know that when a film gives me a tingly feeling every time another character falls under the 'illusions' spell that I'm on to a great thing. And I am.
I love this film, and I'm not American and I don't like baseball. They could have made this with any sport from any era and it would still have been wonderful. I know I'll get a lot of stick for this but if you don't cry at the end of this film then you are not really a man, You can feel Costner's pain as he discusses his father and their reunion at the end is the finest piece of male bonding ever committed to celluloid. I won't spoil the very end but it has to be seen to be believed, astonishing is the only way to describe it. This is easily the best sports movie ever made though it's much, much more than that. |
