A film
review by James Berardinelli for RealViews.net.
Saying
that Tin Cup may be the best-ever golf motion picture isn’t exactly high praise, considering the
competition (Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore), but it’s true nonetheless. In
fact, as sports movies go (regardless of the sport), this one turns in a
respectable showing, injecting some intelligence and maturity into a story that
easily could have succumbed to a flood of struggling
underdog clichés. That's not to say that elements of the formula aren’t
here, but they rarely threaten to overwhelm Tin Cup’s better
aspects.
When it
comes to making sports movies, no one has shown more aptitude than Ron Shelton, whose writing and
directing credits include films about baseball (Bull Durham, Cobb), basketball (Blue Chips, White Men Can't Jump),
football (The Best of Times), boxing (The Great White Hype), and now golf. Shelton has structured Tin
Cup a little like Bull Durham, interweaving an adult
romance with the story of a man struggling to find self-respect through the
sport he loves. However, while romantic subplots are frequently used as side
dishes for motion picture athletic contests, Shelton keeps the two disparate elements
of his movie on equal footing, which lends a sense of balance to the finished
product.
One of
the most laudable characteristics of Tin Cup is that the script
never condescends to either of the main characters. These aren’t two mismatched
caricatures engaging in a series of familiar romantic moves. Crisp, thoughtful
dialogue replaces the empty banter we’ve become accustomed to in screen love
stories. There’s a believability and depth to both Kevin Costner’s Roy Tin Cup
McAvoy and Rene Russo’s Molly Griswold,
and the understated manner in which they relate to each other is a welcome
change of pace during this season of loud, ostentatious explosions. And, while
the chemistry between Costner and Russo doesn’t sizzle, they work together in a
comfortable, relaxed manner. As Roy puts it, they fit like a pair of old shoes.
The
story centers on the title character, an aging club pro who lives in a
Winnebago in the lonely west Texas town of Salome. He spends his day in the
company of his best friend, Romeo (Cheech
Marin), working for $7 an hour at a deserted driving range. Once upon a
time, Roy had a bright golfing future ahead of him, but he blew his cool on the
links, went for the trick shot instead of the smart one, and failed to qualify
for the tour. Since then, he has been hiding out in obscurity, picking up cash
where he can, and watching bitterly as his old college partner, David Simms (Don Johnson), a rich, happy, soulless man, rises through the PGA ranks.
One day,
Roy’s marginal existence is turned upside down by the arrival of a woman
psychologist named Molly Griswold. She wants to take golf lessons to impress
her boyfriend. To the men of Salome, the concept of a female doctor is a
revelation, and, in one of the film’s more slyly amusing scenes, they watch
eagerly as Roy teaches her the basics of hitting a golf ball, wondering how such a pretty girl can have such an ugly
swing. It doesn’t take long for Roy to fall in love with Molly, so it comes
as a blow when she reveals that her boyfriend is none other than David Simms.
Roy then decides that a grand gesture is needed to win her -- something like
qualifying for the U.S. Open and beating David in front of a national TV
audience.
Although
this may sound like a very familiar, traditional sports movie, don’t worry --
Shelton applies enough tweaks and twists to the formulaic story to keep us
interested and a little unsure of the outcome. The experience is akin to
following an often-traveled road then suddenly taking a detour onto a parallel,
but nevertheless different, course. Tin Cup isn’t concerned
with blazing new trails – that’s beyond its scope or ambition. Instead, it’s
content to offer a pleasantly likable, gently comic two hours of simple life
lessons, with golf as the obvious metaphor.
As the
saying goes, you don’t have to appreciate the sport to enjoy the movie.
Undoubtedly, however, the film makers are hoping that the burgeoning popularity
of golf will help at the box office. This is the first such movie to boast
cameos by top-notch players, including Corey
Pavin, Fred Couples, and Lee Janzen. Still, Tin Cup has
a broad enough appeal that intimate knowledge of the joys and frustrations of
playing 18 holes isn’t necessary. This movie ranks as better-than-par
entertainment. [Berardinelli's rating: 3 stars out of 4]
Labels: comedy, drama, romance, sport
Labels: comedy, drama, romance, sport
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