Title:
For Love of the Game
Synopsis:
The Detroit Tigers travel to New York to play a season-ending series against the New York Yankees. At 63-97, the team has long since been eliminated from playoff contention and are playing for nothing but pride against the Yankees, who have a chance to clinch the American League East with a win. For 40-year-old pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner), however, this may end up being the most significant 24 hours of his life.
In his Manhattan hotel suite, Billy awaits his girlfriend Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston), but she doesn’t show. The next morning, Billy is told by Tigers’ owner Gary Wheeler (Brian Cox) that the team has been sold and that the new owners’ first move will be to end Billy’s 19-year tenure with the Tigers by trading him to the San Francisco Giants. Billy also learns from Jane that she is leaving that same day to accept a job offer in London.
Billy is a famous, accomplished pitcher, but has a losing record this season, is near the end of his career and is also recovering from a hand injury. Wheeler hints that Billy should consider retiring rather than join another team. As he goes to Yankee Stadium to make his last start of the year, Billy begins reflecting about Jane, detailing how they met five years prior. These flashbacks are interspersed within the game, along with glimpses of Jane watching the game on a television at the airport.
As the game progresses, with friend and catcher Gus Sinski (John C. Reilly) aware that something is on Billy’s mind other than baseball, Billy dominates the Yankees’ batters, often talking to himself on how to pitch each one. While in the dugout resting between innings, Billy also reflects how his relationship with Jane was strained by his shutting her out of his life after he suffered a career-threatening injury in the off-season. The pain of pitching is getting worse as the game goes on.
Billy is so caught up in his thoughts that he does not realize he is pitching a perfect game until the bottom of the eighth inning. Gus confirms this and says that the whole team is rallying behind him to do whatever it takes to keep the perfect game bid alive.
Before the Tigers take the field for the bottom of the ninth inning, Billy has final ruminations about his career and his love for Jane. He autographs a baseball for Wheeler, who has been like a father to him for many years. Along with the signature, Billy also writes on the ball that he will retire "for love of the game."
After finishing the perfect game, Billy sits alone in his hotel room as the realization sinks in that everything he has been and done for the past 19 years is over. Despite his amazing accomplishment, Billy weeps not only for the loss of baseball, but for the other love of his life, Jane.
The next morning, Billy goes to the airport to inquire about a flight for London. Jane has missed her flight so she could watch the end of his perfect game. Finding her there waiting for her plane, they embrace and reconcile.
In his Manhattan hotel suite, Billy awaits his girlfriend Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston), but she doesn’t show. The next morning, Billy is told by Tigers’ owner Gary Wheeler (Brian Cox) that the team has been sold and that the new owners’ first move will be to end Billy’s 19-year tenure with the Tigers by trading him to the San Francisco Giants. Billy also learns from Jane that she is leaving that same day to accept a job offer in London.
Billy is a famous, accomplished pitcher, but has a losing record this season, is near the end of his career and is also recovering from a hand injury. Wheeler hints that Billy should consider retiring rather than join another team. As he goes to Yankee Stadium to make his last start of the year, Billy begins reflecting about Jane, detailing how they met five years prior. These flashbacks are interspersed within the game, along with glimpses of Jane watching the game on a television at the airport.
As the game progresses, with friend and catcher Gus Sinski (John C. Reilly) aware that something is on Billy’s mind other than baseball, Billy dominates the Yankees’ batters, often talking to himself on how to pitch each one. While in the dugout resting between innings, Billy also reflects how his relationship with Jane was strained by his shutting her out of his life after he suffered a career-threatening injury in the off-season. The pain of pitching is getting worse as the game goes on.
Billy is so caught up in his thoughts that he does not realize he is pitching a perfect game until the bottom of the eighth inning. Gus confirms this and says that the whole team is rallying behind him to do whatever it takes to keep the perfect game bid alive.
Before the Tigers take the field for the bottom of the ninth inning, Billy has final ruminations about his career and his love for Jane. He autographs a baseball for Wheeler, who has been like a father to him for many years. Along with the signature, Billy also writes on the ball that he will retire "for love of the game."
After finishing the perfect game, Billy sits alone in his hotel room as the realization sinks in that everything he has been and done for the past 19 years is over. Despite his amazing accomplishment, Billy weeps not only for the loss of baseball, but for the other love of his life, Jane.
The next morning, Billy goes to the airport to inquire about a flight for London. Jane has missed her flight so she could watch the end of his perfect game. Finding her there waiting for her plane, they embrace and reconcile.
Format:
Digital Copy
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Movie Release Year:
1999
Genre:
Drama
Sports
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Show Type:
Movie
Original Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1
Actors:
Jena Malone
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Directors:
Sam Raimi
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Discs:
1
Date Added:
2018-02-07 18:03:07
