Tin Cup
3/4
Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Cheech Marin, Ben Johnson
Rated R for Language and Brief Nudity
I'm not a golfer. Like half the people who play golf, it seems, I can't swing a golf club to save my life. I did try, actually. I was on the golf team for two years in high school, and on the one day where I got to compete in a match, I broke my driver on the first swing. Yeah, I'm that bad.
Anyway, "Tin Cup" is said to be a romantic comedy, and while those elements are definitely there, it works better as a sports movie (the same is true of another romantic comedy/sports movie, "The Cutting Edge," although that one didn't really work because the director thought it was a rom-com when it was really a sports movie). Its stars, Kevin Costner and Rene Russo, have chemistry, but their interaction is shortchanged for the underdog story. Doesn't matter, though. The movie is still fun.
Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy (Costner) is an extremely talented golfer who was on his way to the pros when, in an act of hubris and stubbornness, he tried for a next to impossible shot and missed. Now, he's resigned to drinking and being the manager of an out of the way driving range. In walks Dr. Molly Griswold (Russo), a firey psychologist who wants to take golf lessons, because (as Roy rightfully assumes) she's dating a guy who plays golf. What Roy doesn't realize is that she's dating his old rival, David Simms (Johnson), who played safe and is now in the pros. To win her heart, Roy decides to try for the U.S. Open (which of course pits him against Simms). But he's got a problem. His risk-taking behavior may be his undoing, so in exchange for golf lessons, Molly will examine his head.
Okay, so there are elements that are shortchanged for other things. Really, there are enough things that could be more developed, but the movie already clocks in at two hours (dangerous territory for a romantic comedy). But I didn't care. "Tin Cup" is a breezy comedy that doesn't waste a second.
The performances are solid across the board. Kevin Costner is his usual reliable self, making Roy into a likable loser with stubbornness issues. He's someone we can get behind. Rene Russo isn't as successful. She's a little stiff at times, but we like her anyway. Cheech Marin is on hand for comic relief and Roy's voice of reason (even if doing so is an act of futility). Ben Johnson is perfectly slimy, but not a caricature.
Ron Shelton is the go-to guy for sports movies. He's made his mark on them with "Bull Durham" (also starring Costner, "Cobb," and "White Men Can't Jump." He understands the rhythms of the genre and how to make them seem fresh and alive. This isn't a perfect movie (the ending is fitting, although not as fitting as I would have liked), but it's still plenty of fun.
Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Cheech Marin, Ben Johnson
Rated R for Language and Brief Nudity
I'm not a golfer. Like half the people who play golf, it seems, I can't swing a golf club to save my life. I did try, actually. I was on the golf team for two years in high school, and on the one day where I got to compete in a match, I broke my driver on the first swing. Yeah, I'm that bad.
Anyway, "Tin Cup" is said to be a romantic comedy, and while those elements are definitely there, it works better as a sports movie (the same is true of another romantic comedy/sports movie, "The Cutting Edge," although that one didn't really work because the director thought it was a rom-com when it was really a sports movie). Its stars, Kevin Costner and Rene Russo, have chemistry, but their interaction is shortchanged for the underdog story. Doesn't matter, though. The movie is still fun.
Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy (Costner) is an extremely talented golfer who was on his way to the pros when, in an act of hubris and stubbornness, he tried for a next to impossible shot and missed. Now, he's resigned to drinking and being the manager of an out of the way driving range. In walks Dr. Molly Griswold (Russo), a firey psychologist who wants to take golf lessons, because (as Roy rightfully assumes) she's dating a guy who plays golf. What Roy doesn't realize is that she's dating his old rival, David Simms (Johnson), who played safe and is now in the pros. To win her heart, Roy decides to try for the U.S. Open (which of course pits him against Simms). But he's got a problem. His risk-taking behavior may be his undoing, so in exchange for golf lessons, Molly will examine his head.
Okay, so there are elements that are shortchanged for other things. Really, there are enough things that could be more developed, but the movie already clocks in at two hours (dangerous territory for a romantic comedy). But I didn't care. "Tin Cup" is a breezy comedy that doesn't waste a second.
The performances are solid across the board. Kevin Costner is his usual reliable self, making Roy into a likable loser with stubbornness issues. He's someone we can get behind. Rene Russo isn't as successful. She's a little stiff at times, but we like her anyway. Cheech Marin is on hand for comic relief and Roy's voice of reason (even if doing so is an act of futility). Ben Johnson is perfectly slimy, but not a caricature.
Ron Shelton is the go-to guy for sports movies. He's made his mark on them with "Bull Durham" (also starring Costner, "Cobb," and "White Men Can't Jump." He understands the rhythms of the genre and how to make them seem fresh and alive. This isn't a perfect movie (the ending is fitting, although not as fitting as I would have liked), but it's still plenty of fun.
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