I watched the Kevin Costner film For Love of the Game tonight. I hadn’t seen it since watching it in the cinema back in 1999. I think it was old Kev-bo’s last baseball film. I love baseball and I love baseball films, especially Costner’s. Directed by Sam Raimi, who’s better known for his Evil Dead films, it’s about a veteran pitcher pitching the game of his life at Yankee Stadium while memories of the woman, who may have been the love of his life but is now going off to England, run through his head. It’s a nice combo of sport and romance. I like how at the end Kev’s character, Billy, wins the game but still has to win back the woman’s heart. In lesser hands the winner simply gets the girl, or in this case, Jane (played by Kelly Preston) would have been there at the stadium gazing adoringly at her man, all transgressions forgiven because HE WON THE FRICKEN GAME. But no, this film’s much subtler and more realistic than that. There’s a nice little coda where Billy goes to the airport after the game with the intention of travelling to England because he’s realised he needs and loves Jane. But she’s there still at the airport, having missed the plane because she stayed to watch the game unfold on the TV in the airport lounge. Billy’s speech to her is full of regret and hard-won self-truth, and it wins Jane over. It’s just enough to feel well-earned. They seal their reunion with a huge kiss that is nicely undercut by the passers-by who look on with annoyance at this too-public display of affection. Have to say, if it was me seeing them I’d be all ‘Yeah go for it, you good thing!’ If it’s the last baseball film Costner ever makes it’s a good way to go out. Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, For the Love of the Game: a fine baseball trilogy. Thank you Kev-bo.