Rating: 
Summary: romantic slop completely without edge
Review: Getting ready to watch a Kevin Costner movie is like preparing for a siege: one needs to stock up on a hefty assortment of supplies because, if there is one thing we can be sure of, it's that we are in for a very long haul. Actually, as Costner movies go, this 138-minute film is relatively short - though its glacial pacing makes it seem eternal anyway. For sheer, unadulterated tedium, this movie is, at the very least, a match for Costner's previous romantic opus, "Message in a Bottle."Directed, shockingly, by the normally astute and insightful Sam Raimi ( a bizarre capitulation on his part to slick, empty commercial moviemaking), "For Love of the Game" seems like a film caught in a movie genre limbo. Half reverential baseball movie and half sappy romance, it seems catered to satisfy two widely disparate audiences that wouldn't be caught dead standing in the same line at the local cineplex. Perhaps, this is a pitch to come up with the perfect date movie (though "Titanic" beat them to it - romance and Leonardo Di Caprio for the ladies, sinking ship and mass death for the boys). Costner, in another of his near-catatonic performances, portrays Billy Chapel, a 40-year old, soon to be over-the-hill pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who, in a single day, learns that his team has been sold, he is about to be traded to the Giants and his girlfriend of five years is leaving right that very moment to start a new career in London. This set-up might have resulted in an incisive study of a man caught in an age-limited career learning to cope with the inevitable trauma of saying farewell and moving on. Instead, the writers settle for a stale movie romance, with Chapel standing on the mound, pitching his final game and flashing back like mad to the happier days of ballfield triumphs and blossoming true love. The film is ostensibly concerned with Chapel's success on the diamond but he soon learns that even pitching a historical no-hitter and being carried around in triumph on the shoulders of adoring team members and diehard admirers is mere ashes without that one true love to share it with. The screenplay, in fact, is so heavily weighted in the direction of the affair he is having with Jane (Kelly Preston) that baseball fans are sure to feel slighted - until the very end. Even in the ballpark, though, the film is a failure. Why do so many movies, including this one, treat baseball as some sort of holy rite, some sacred mission replete with corny imagery, nauseating pep talks and cliched, slow motion views of tear-soaked faces amid the euphoric masses? The detrimental effect of "Field of Dreams" cannot be overestimated. Just once couldn't we see a film that treats the sport for what it is - a fun pastime, completely devoid of sentimentality? I will say one thing for this movie though: in comparison to itself, it does make baseball look like a fastpaced sport!
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointment Overall
Review: For Love of the Game has its moments, but overall disappoints. The love story is cliched as hell, but some will enjoy it. The baseball scenes are good, but the players just didn't seem like major leaguers to me. Also, I found the announcers at the game (Vin Scully and someone else) kind of annoying. Their banter just didn't ring true. Costner's performance is marginal. One of the central plot elements is his character's balance of the two loves of his life--Preston's character and baseball. Baseball has always been the clear number one, but he finally realizes during his final game as a player that, hey, maybe he does have room for a woman. Convenient timing there, Kevin! If the movie was around 1:30 long it would have been a whole lot better. The simple plot just didn't support a two hour plus run time.
Rating: 
Summary: Brings back memories of when I loved this game.
Review: I've always been a Costner fan, even when he has stretched my patience. "For the Love of the Game" did a lot for me in bringing back fond memories of the game which I used to love when I was a kid. Costner's sports movies are among his most entertaining, and bringing in Vin Skully added tremendously to the realism of this film. Although I do agree (somewhat) in many reviewers' disappointment concerning the relationship aspect in this film, it still held enough interest for me that I enjoyed the film as a whole (heck, I almost bought it hook-line-and-sinker, but then again, I can be a real sucker). I also liked how the love aspect of the story was told in flashbacks as Chapel (Costner) was pitching the game of his life. I believe that many people may actually enjoy this film who are not baseball fans, but it sure couldn't hurt if you were. Between 1 and 10, I give "For the Love of the Game" a solid 7. It's nice to see an actor who is athletic enough to pull off a sports movie and make it look real. Some of the scenes (where people are watching the "game" on television, ala Kelly Preston at the airport bar) looked 100 percent authentic. I would have no hesitation in viewing this film a second time, especially the dvd version (if it puts back what was left on the cutting room floor, as one reviewer indicated).
Rating: 
Summary: Are you kidding me? One of the best!
Review: Facing a most important and crucial crossroads in his life, Costner examines his past experiences all during the course of what many believe to be his final game (at least for the Tigers). What I find to be most encompassing about this movie is the use of flashbacks while Costner seems to almost unknowingly reach for one of his most shining accomplishments as both baseball player and man. It is a very touching movie, well written and well made.
Rating:
Summary: Back for more Ball
Review: The Durham Bull Man is back for more great baseball! This is a great mixture of a chick flick, and a sports movie. Any guy into baseball will find the film very realistic, from KC clearing the crowd from his head, to the rest of the team not talking to him during the "Perfect Game". The flashbacks are well placed, and well done. Not many movies take place in the span of a baseball game, but cover 5 years of a man's life. I highly reccomend this film to anyone in the mood for a great love story (and I don't say that often), or a great baseball game!
Rating: 
Summary: OK
Review: To tell you the truth I thought that Field of Dreams was better than this. This movie is well done but it wont live up to Field of Dreams.
Rating:
Summary: this movie ROCKS!
Review: This movie is a very good movie it is about a guy who is a major leage picther and is a really good one too. and his girlfriend is moving to france and while she is wating for her plane she saw the game that her boyfriend was pitching in on a tv at the airport she misses her plane on purpose to watch the game because it might be her boyfriends last game after he had been playing for 12 years and he ends up pitching a perfect game. I won't tell you if that was his last game or not if you want to know what happens you will have to watch the movie for yourself. I would think that if you do end up watching the movie it won't be a waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific romantic drama!
Review: Costner plays a pitcher that is facing a decision-whether or not to retire. His girlfriend (Preston) dumps him and his team, the Detroit Tigers, tells him to quit or be traded. A great movie, and you'll love the ending.
Rating:
Summary: "Jerry Maguire" of Baseball
Review: Kevin Costner scores with another fine baseball movie in "For Love of the Game". I thought this was a fun and involving movie that did a good job examining the inevitable changes that occur in one's life. Here, we have the cliched love story plot, but it does the trick in getting that "change" theme across. Costner's character is dealing with letting go of the things he loves; an experience that most everyone has had at some point in life. His struggle to cope with the incoming "next phase" of his life are very real and very relevant. The pitching against the Yankees for the perfect game is mostly a background, untill the end. Kelly Preston was also impressive. I only know her as the helplessly awful ex-fiance of Jerry Maguire's, and I thought this role was a wonderful departure from that. As far as the disk itself, it has enough extras and tidbits to make it worthwhile. If you love baseball and you love a good story, you won't have any problems with this one!
Rating:
Summary: More Love Than Game (and neither are done well)
Review: One of the vaunted critics said "If you liked Field of Dreams you'll love For The Love of the Game." He was wrong. This movie was NOT predominately about baseball. You could've swapped out baseball and replaced it with any sport. It is about an over-the-hill player's (choose your sport) internal struggle between love for his game and love for his girl. The acting was mediocre and the story was almost grossly simple. It was neither emotionally, or intellectually interesting. It's also too long. The story could've been told in well under 2 hours (generous). All that being said, I did finish the movie, and it certainly wasn't horrendous just sub-standard. If you want a great baseball movie get "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams" or "Eight Men Out" If you want a good love story get "At First Sight" or "While You Were Sleeping" or "Casablanca" or "Ghost" or tons of other better films.
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