Often talked about as one of, if not the best, sports movies of all time, I finally got around to watching this film. Being the sports nut that I am, one would say, "What took you so long?" I wish I would have waited longer. This film disappointed me, really from start to finish.

Understanding what kind of tastes I like is important in this review. I generally like something that could possibly occur in real life, in terms of the drama genre. However, I have liked films in the past that have had a fictitious element at their base. This is a film that certainly fits the category, "It could never happen, and if it did, pigs would be flying along with it."

Putting this yearning for realism aside, I decided to give this film a try. I thought that the story line and the writing would probably make up for the fictitious nature of the film. But right away, I was disappointed. The film immediately showed a problem with pacing. I was surprised at how quickly I heard the infamous line, "If you build it, he will come". In addition, the field is built in about 30 seconds real-time. These two instances really serve to take the emotion out of the film, an emotion that is necessary later on. We don't get an idea of all the work it took to build the field, and why this man is thinking of giving up his farm to do it.
The buildup could have been much better, considering the whole movie essentially hinges on Ray's relationship with his father.

Ray is a farmer from Iowa. Before he builds his field, all we know about his father is that he played a little baseball in the minor leagues. The lack of a character profile on Ray's father is something that is evident throughout the film. All we really get is a couple of stories here and there.

Ray himself, played by Kevin Costner, is a man struggling between the voice he hears in his cornfield (telling him to build a baseball field) and keeping his farm afloat. The characterization of the main character and acting by Kevin Costner are only adequate. Ray is pulled by some unknown voice, which leads Costner to spend what seemed like half the film looking off into the distance and squinting. This is Costner showing how Ray is struggling with decisions. I also had trouble really getting a feel for the character, as Costner's portrayal was unconvincing.

With such an odd situation plaguing this man, he has to be coupled with a crazy wife, of course, played by Amy Madigan. Madigan's performance is fine, but the character is not. One minute, she is the "go for it", "life is great", hippie wife, and the next, she is begging Ray to give up his silly dreams and keep his farm at full running capacity. She struck me as an annoying character, with no real captivating qualities, despite the fact that she is an integral part of the film.

James Earl Jones plays Terence Mann, whom Ray meets along his journey after hearing the cornfield say "Ease his pain" and linking that to the poet turned recluse. How he links the cornfield's request to Mann is odd, and again serves to decrease the realism which I think is important to a film, even a fictional one. Jones does a good job as always with Mann, and the writers do a better job with characterization.

Other Characters: Ray Liotta does a decent job as Shoeless Joe Jackson. However, we get too many blank stares out of Liotta, which are supposed to indicate some sort of apparition-like quality, I guess. ???

Covering somewhat for the weakness of the characterization and acting are sights of the film. The baseball field is well-crafted and the old-timer players decked out in '20's uniforms are convincing. We also get an idea of the economic situation of the Kinsetta's, with Ray's old Volkwagen van. (Which he takes to pick up Terence Mann and "Doc" Graham, who also has an odd link to baseball.)

At the end of the film, I felt a good portion of the plot of the film was unnecessary. The film ends with a focus on Ray's relationship with his father, an issue that is not discussed in-depth throughout the film. I thought the film could have probably done without Terence Mann and "Doc" Graham and would have been more effective with some other plot twist. But that's the way the story was written. Overall, with the average characterization and acting, along with the unrealistic storyline, I had trouble really feeling the emotional ending of this film. I said to myself, "That's it?". And it was.



Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: VHS
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12