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Parents' Guide to

For Love of the Game

By Sarah Wenk, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

An old-fashioned Hollywood sports story/romance.

Movie PG-13 2003 137 minutes
For Love of the Game Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

paleofish
paleofish Parent of 7-year-old
May 24, 2016
age 13+

Not for the young ones!

After reading the other review, I thought that this would be okay for my eight-year-old. He had seen all of the Marvel movies that were PG-13 or less and knew that violence and occasional language were not appropriate. He even knows why Blackbeard was so erratic in "Blackbeard's Ghost". However, this movie was a bit much for him. He wanted to watch a baseball movie, and we had exhausted all of the usual suspects. There are, at least, 30 occurrences of shit (or some variance) and goddamn, and one f-bomb. There are a few scenes of 'adult sleepovers', 'handy equipment' and 'tiredness' as we explained to our son. That being said, our son was very interested in the movie, loved the baseball game, and cried at the end. It is quite a good movie, though not up to par with "Bull Durham" and "A League of Their Own". He has seen ALOTO, but he will only see BD after we are senile.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
Steph R.
Steph R. Adult
December 11, 2016
age 16+

Loved this movie!

Ok it was a little slow every once in a while. But, OMG! Such a tear jerker! Loved it's!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

On the same day, aging baseball player Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) finds out his girlfriend Jane (Kelly Preston) is leaving him and his team is being sold and he'll probably be traded. He is pitching a game that same day in Yankee Stadium, and the story unfolds in flashbacks as the game, which could turn out to be the elusive perfect game, goes on. Every movie romance cliché is on proud display. Billy and Jane "meet cute" when her car breaks down. They suffer through ups and downs and downs and ups. The flashbacks also cover Billy's career, including a serious injury and the inevitable slowing down of age.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (1 ):

FOR LOVE OF THE GAME falls toward the sentimental side of the scale. It's an old-fashioned romance with no real surprises, but the material is handled well, and it's just about impossible not to get caught up in the story. Costner is great at this kind of role -- somber and stalwart, but with a streak of dark humor. Preston becomes more appealing as the film goes on, and by the end you're rooting for the team and the couple to pull it together.

In less competent hands this could be a slushy mess, but Sam Raimi brings a seriousness and maturity to the film that work well, and his shots are beautifully composed and edited. Most likely, he loves baseball, too. This is fine family viewing, though young children may find the relationship boring. The baseball, however, is beautiful, and any fan watching will remember why they fell in love with the sport.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different ways in which Billy and Jane each bring trouble to their relationship.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 13, 2003
  • On DVD or streaming: September 13, 1999
  • Cast: Jena Malone , Kelly Preston , Kevin Costner
  • Director: Sam Raimi
  • Inclusion Information: Pansexual actors
  • Studio: Universal Pictures
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 137 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: some strong language and non-explicit sexual situations
  • Last updated: March 29, 2023

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