In the time frame of a single baseball game, we live through a stormy five-year relationship between star pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) and his girlfriend Jane (Kelly Preston) in this wonderfully charming film largely done in flashback.
Billy is a 40 year old pitcher at the end of his career. His team has just been sold and he has to make a decision to allow himself to be traded or to retire. His love for baseball makes this an agonizing decision. On top of that, the woman with whom he has maintained a five year relationship has just called it quits. We feel his pain. Now he’s got a very important game to play and through it, we get to see just what kind of man he is and how he tackles his problems.
What makes this film standout is the exceptionally real moments of his relationship with Jane with all its confusions and complications. Both Costner and Preston are very good.
The baseball setting is one in which Costner has become very accustomed and he fits it like the proverbial glove.
This is beautifully edited between flashbacks and present day.
Lotta says “For Love of the Game” is well balanced between the relationship and baseball and Costner as usual has come through for us with a fine film.