For Love of the Game

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For Love of the Game ★★½ 1999 (PG-13)

The baseball glove has long been gold for Costner. In his third baseball outing, he moderately scores as veteran Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel, facing a crossroad in his professional and personal life. In 1-2-3 manner, he learns that the team he's played on for 20 years has been sold, the new owners want to trade him, and his longtime girlfriend, Jane (Preston), is dumping him prior to an important game with the Yankees. Magically, he's this close to pitching a perfect game, as the last five years of his life flash before him. Sudsy, predictable romance overshadows the game action, but harder-edged Raimi, with his own love for the game, injects some striking visual flair. Costner pitched a fit against the studio for editing out his infamous penis shot to ensure a kid-friendly rating. Based on the novel by Michael Shaara. 137m/C VHS, DVD, HD DVD . Michael (Mike) Papajohn, Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, John C. Reilly, Jena Malone, Brian Cox, J.K. Simmons, Bill E. Rogers, Vin Scully, Carmine D. Giovinazzo, Hugh Ross, Steve Lyons; D: Sam Raimi; W: Dana Stevens; C: John Bailey; M: Basil Poledouris.