Tin Cup

Underdog sports movies walk a fine line with clichés; romantic comedies walk a fine line with clichés. "Tin Cup" is both these things and walks the finest of the fine lines, and though it leans toward the cliché, it never completely loses its balance. Its likable swagger behind star Kevin Costner -- a similar swagger to that of "Bull Durham," also directed by Ron Shelton -- is what makes it one of the more memorable fault-filled sports movies. Like the previous (and slightly better) Costner-Shelton collaboration of "Durham," this film is a romantic sports comedy about a trashy/washed-up athlete who wastes a lot of talent and somehow manages to attract sexual attention. Costner stars as West Texan Roy McAvoy, referred to sometimes as 'Tin Cup,' a talented college golfer who somehow ended up a golf pro at a downtrodden driving range with his amigo Romeo (Cheech Marin) while his college teammate David Simms (Don Johnson) went on to be a star. Roy is a betting man who goes with his gut, ignores reason and uses golf metaphors to make sense of life. When an anal retentive psychiatrist named Molly (Rene Russo) shows up at his range for lessons, Roy is smitten, only to find she's with Simms. Of course the only way to win her over is to try and make the U.S. Open, right? Costner and Russo have forced character chemistry. There's no reason for either of them to be interested in each other, save that Roy wants a challenge compared to the white trash women he's interested in. There's certainly no reason for Molly to leave her tournament- winning boyfriend for a sleazeball. And you know it's true when the dialogue directly addresses why they fell for the other like it's justification or something. The machismo fueling Roy and his buddies in the movie, constantly betting each other and insulting the other when he lays up and plays it safe is childish, but it brings the film its humor and keeps it from being a straight through underdog movie. Its more interested in its characters than building up plot suspense, which is a good thing, if only the characters behaved in realistic ways. "Tin Cup" is a giant golf metaphor for life, about how taking risks -- no matter how many times you fail -- is always worth it. Shelton's film is gutsy in the same way, finding different ways of telling a sports story that will make it feel different. It goes about it in an amateur way, but it's the bravado that it will be remembered for. Shelton's films have this miraculous tendency to only let their best parts stick with you. They're the kinds of movies that make for great channel-surfing finds on TV. That's really what "Tin Cup" is. ~Steven C Visit my site at http://moviemusereviews.blogspot.com

There are three reasons to watch this movie: Rene Russo, Cheech Marin, and Don Johnson. The rest of it is a waste of time. Kevin Costner's character, the protagonist, is a jerk from beginning to end. He never changes, he never learns anything, he is a total loser. I don't know whether to blame the script writer, the director, or Costner, but it doesn't really matter. The main character is entirely unsympathetic. Marin has some great lines, and he delivers them beautifully. Russo is sexy and plays her part perfectly. Johnson's performance is excellent, except for the one scene in which the director or scrip writer or someone decided that he needed to play completely out of character in order to make him the villain. It even appeared that he was embarrassed to have to do that scene, since it was totally inconsistent with the rest of his role. I will watch the film again, but just to enjoy watching Russo, Marin, and Johnson.

This movie is fun. This movie is funny. It has the best of casts. The golf, even if you don't understand golf (and I don't) is great. The music is perfect for it. The ending isn't what you'd expect. This movie is a 10 plus all the way. The best part about it? Kevin Costner totally. Along with Cheech Marin, they make a great comedic team. Wish they'd team up again. Rent it and have a good time.

Not that this film should have won any awards (it didn't), but it's entertaining, fun, and original enough not to bore you. Kevin Costner plays Roy Macavoy, a good IL' boy with a killer golf game who uses his talents to teach the game to others, or hustle the occasional executive type who is half-mark, half-patron. Roy would be a good poster child for what not to do in your financial planning, and his lifestyle is generally overlooked because of his talent and good nature. Cheech Marin is competent as his sidekick, caddy, confidant and co-conspirator. Rene Russo is typically grating as Dr. Molly Griswold, the girlfriend of Roy's longtime golf rival, David Simms (played by Don Johnson). I can overlook the casting of Russo here, as that was in vogue at the time. She more or less reprises the role she played in Major League, of the career woman who falls for an outcast, believes she deserves better, and struggles throughout the movie until the high-brow jerk shows his true colors. Tin Cup is not a romantic comedy set to golf, but rather a golf movie set in the context of a love triangle, which is used here as a plot device to set up the all-important golf rivalry that culminates in the US Open, which Roy makes as he finally gains focus, in part because of the pretexted "therapy" from Dr. Griswold to help his mental game (the "therapy" seems to consist mostly of her rejecting his advances and telling him to get his act together), but she begins learning from him to become more carefree. While this bonding occurs, Simms is his smug, assured, and very successful self, and the rivalry reveals sides of him that have Dr. Griswold questioning her choice. Dr. Simms did play the heavy in this film, but the real battle took place between Roy and "the shot," a 230-yard drive, over a water hazard, and onto a very unforgiving green that spits your ball into the water unless you hit the sweet spot. Roy is faced with this shot over and over again throughout the movie, and each confrontation he has with it reveals more of his character, and the resolution to this movie involves one last confrontation between the two. Herein lies the movie's premise: do you play it safe and go through life living well, or do you let it all hang out in search of eternal glory in the minds of all who watched? Costner and Johnson do a credible job contrasting the two lifestyles, and showing that underneath it all, there really isn't much difference between the PGA touring professionals and many driving range instructors, except maybe in motivation and mental focus. Like Major League, this film would have been a lot better without Russo, but it's not bad.

The film is every amateur golfer dream.The best serious golf movie in my mind. As far as comedy golf films, Happy Gilmore and Caddyshack were fun, but Tin Cup played out the dream of contending at the US Open and letting it all hang out! I personally am not a huge Kevin Costner fan, however having said that a number of his films seem to be on my top ten list of favourite films. Untouchables, Tip Cup, Field of Dreams are all awesome films. I gotta say I do respect him. He chooses his films well. Personally I like the ending of the film. A man facing his demons and confronting them head on, even with all odds being against him. I loved this film.

I have watched this film at least 40 times. I just love golf movies with a sense of humor. This one takes us into the world of pro golf. The terminology is right on. Costner is awesome. He makes me laugh with his perfect cockiness. Don Johnson is great as well. You have to love Cheech. The scene where Cheech (his caddy) and Kevin fight over which club to use is PRICELESS. If you haven't seen this, and you like golf, rent it tonight.

Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves, The Untouchables) is a great actor, in my opinion, but most critics and some people don't like him because he takes too many "hero" roles. For those people, Tin Cup is a movie you will like, for those who like Costner, you will love this film. Cosnter plays a local star golfer in Texas who runs a driving range that isn't doing well. He's a good golfer, but because of some poor decisions never turned professional. He has a lazy life goofing around with his friends and caddy, wonderfully played by Cheech Marin (Paulie, From Dusk Til Dawn). One day when a beautiful psychiatrist, played by Rene Russo (Ransom, Major League), comes in to take lessons from him, he decides to go after her. The problem is that she isn't grungy and lazy like he is and she's dating a professional golfer who went to college with Costner. He is well-played by Don Johnson (Dead Bang, Guilty as Sin). Costner and Johnson hate each other and soon get into competitions to impress Russo. Eventually, Costner decides to impress her he'll try and qualify for the US Open golf tournament. This is a very funny film and was not a "chick-flick" like I was worried it would be. Costner is excellent in the lead playing a completely likable slob. Russo is solid as his love interest. Highly recommended.

... There`s two things ( Amongst others ) I find boring . One is the sport of golf where boring ( OMG are golfers boring ) men with absolutely no dress sense strut around whacking a ball into a hole a few hundred yards away . The second is a Kevin Costner performance . Can there be a less charismatic leading man from the last 20 years ? A commie outlaw in merry olde England , a man living amongst red indians , a man investigating the murder of a president , a man sailing the oceans in search of land - No matter what role he plays I have to struggle to stay awake when he`s on screen . I yawned all the way through this due to the plot and the leading man , and I`ve had to take two long naps while writing this review , that`s the effect TIN CUP had on me The movie isn`t helped by the screenplay that revolves around Costner ( I can`t remember his character`s name because I didn`t think I was watching a character be played out on screen - I was watching Kevin Costner playing himself yet again ) getting ready for a golf tournament while trying to juggle a relationship . So right away you know that the climax takes place at a make or break tournament where he either wins or loses the tournament and he wins or loses the gal , that`s if anyone cares in the first place and I know I didn`t . In the meantime we have to suffer Kev wearing sun shades , smiling , having a beer and hear him utter a rude word or two . I think he might have tried to sing but I was struggling to stay awake at this point If you`re an addict of either golf or Kevin Costner you`ll enjoy this movie. If you`re a fan of both then you must be the saddest person on Earth , and if you`re a fan of neither then only watch this if you can`t sleep ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

While it may never be as famous as its forerunner Bull Durham (which also starred Costner and was also written and directed by Shelton) Tin Cup has legs of its own to stand on. With a brilliant soundtrack, excellent support from Russo, Johnson, Marin and others (including two Costners) and the writing and direction of Ron Shelton, this is a winner - an incredibly funny and gripping comedy with a smashing bit of irresistible bravado thrown in for good measure. Where Bull Durham didn't have a climax per se, Tin Cup does - and what a climax that is. And although you may in retrospect see the outcome as predictable, odds are you won't guess this by a mile working into it the first time: the suspense really works too. For what it's worth, the riddle the movie starts on has been traced as far back as The Cosby Show. A definite keeper.

From an acting standpoint, "Tin Cup" may be Kevin Costner's best movie. Here he plays Roy McAvoy, a burned-out, washed-out, down-n-out golf pro a way out in West Texas. He's broke, drunk most of the time, and convinced of his own worthlessness -- hence his attraction to poetry and a puffed-up opinion of his own heroics on the golf course (he's got to have something hold on to). Roy is just this side of being a complete bum -- this is one of the few movies I've seen on any subject that actually addresses the financial condition of its loose-living hero. "Tin Cup" is all about the dire straits of this character, and Costner is more than up to the challenge of playing this guy convincingly. Costner for once packs everything into his performance: charm, wit, sarcasm, hopelessness, bitterness, and more than a little arrogance. He is funny, laidback and shows remarkable athletic skill. He tops his career-best work in "Bull Durham" here (not surprising, since this is another Ron Shelton film). The movie also works great as a classic heroic Quest story. McAvoy is on a mythic quest, not for the perfect 18 holes, certainly not for money, but for love. "Tin Cup" could easily have been titled "Quixote Jousts at Windmills in West Texas." Best of all, McAvoy KNOWS he's on a quest; when he refers to it in his dialogue, it sounds pathtically funny, but when you hold this story up to the ancient pattern of the heroic quest as described by Joseph Campbell, it really rings true. Probably the most interesting aspect of "Tin Cup" is that it also works as a metaphor for what Costner has done with his career. Here's a guy who could have played it safe and easy after all those Oscars, but took off on crazy flights of fancy like "Waterworld" and lost badly. (He continued to play unsafe shots after 1996, with almost every movie that followed this one.) McAvoy plays the game his way, on a dare, on a bet, with outrageous egotism and a willingness to lose it all -- publicly. That's what Costner has done at his own game. Was "Open Range" the dreaded safe shot that corrected his course?