Allreaders.com

For the Love of the Game Movie Review Summary

Actors: Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of For the Love of the Game


The baseball team the Detroit Tigers goes to play the last game of the season against the New York Yankees. The season has gone badly for them and they won't be able to make it to the play offs and are only playing for honors. Unknowingly, this may prove to be the most important game of his life for 40-year-old pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner).
Click here to see the rest of this review...


Owner Gary Wheeler (Brian Cox) tells Billy that the Tigers have been sold and that the new owners' want to end the 19-year contract Billy has had with the team. Billy also finds out that his girlfriend, Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston), is leaving to accept a job offer in England.

Billy is a renowned pitcher with a good track record. But this season is not going well for him, his years are starting to weigh on him and he also has a hand injury that keeps on troubling him. Wheeler suggests that Billy should think of retiring rather than join another team. As he is on his way to Yankee Stadium, Billy starts reminiscing about his relationship with Jane. These flashbacks are cut in between glimpses of the game, and shots of Jane at the airport, watching the game on a television screen.

Billy, reflecting on his life, his years as a professional baseball player, his relationship with Jane, is throwing a perfect game. Billy is so preoccupied that he oblivious of it, until he looks at the scoreboard when the game is nearing its end. His friend and catcher Gus Sinski (John Reilly) tells him that none of the Yankees has reached base yet. Billy's injury is playing up and the pain when throwing the ball is becoming worse. He throws his first pitches of the last inning outside of the plate. But when he recalls pitching as a kid with his dad in the back yard of his childhood house, he manages to pick his game up again.

After the game, he signs one of the balls and gives it to Wheeler, who he has basically seen as a father for all those years. Next to the signature, Billy writes "for love of the game". Alone in his hotel room, Billy realizes his life as he has known it for the past 20 odd years is over and he weeps, knowing he has not only lost baseball, but also the other love of his life, Jane.

To make the changes he still can, Billy goes to the airport to get on a plane to England. But Jane has missed her flight because she wanted to watch the end of his perfect game. Billy finds her waiting for the next plane, they embrace and reconcile.

Best part of story, including ending: The impact of life changing events, coming to terms with that, and realizing what is really important.

Best scene in story: Where he signs the ball 'for love of the game'.

Opinion about the main character: Reflecting on his life, he realizes where he took wrong turns, and what is really important to him.

The review of this Movie prepared by Benten a Level 8 Sooty Shearwater scholar

Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel (Costner) is preparing to play what might be the last professional game of his life when his on again, off again girlfriend Jane (Preston) informs him that she has accepted a job in London and is leaving him. An inner war rages inside of him- love of the game versus the love of his life. Which will he choose?
The review of this Movie prepared by Patti Illsley




Billy Chapel (Costner) was a great pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, but he spent for time focusing on baseball than on life. His career is nearly at and end and his long time girlfriend (Preston) wants to leave him. He has once chance left at baseball and at love and he takes full advantage of both.
The review of this Movie prepared by Steve Polizzi



Script Analysis of For the Love of the Game

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Time/era of movie:    -   2000's+ (present) Kind of sports story:    -   baseball Sports story?    -   Yes Job/Profession/Poverty Story?    -   Yes Job:    -   athlete

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   athlete Age:    -   40's-50's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White American

Setting

United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Northeast City?    -   Yes City:    -   New York

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   no torture/death Any profanity?    -   Occasional swearing

Movies with storylines, themes & endings like For the Love of the Game

For the Love of the Game Message Board (click here)
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian