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Bull Durham

Bull Durham

Romance is a lot like baseball. It's not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game.

1988108 minRMidcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Director
Ron Shelton
Starring
Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson

Veteran catcher Crash Davis is brought to the minor league Durham Bulls to help their up and coming pitching prospect, "Nuke" Laloosh. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start and is further complicated when baseball groupie Annie Savoy sets her sights on the two men.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Bull Durham?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Bull Durham streaming on Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Bull Durham?

Bull Durham earns 11 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Standout acting.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Bull Durham worth watching?

Bull Durham's Midcredits score is the 82nd percentile of all films, from 131K ratings across 6 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

82nd percentile

Better received than 82% of films

88th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)82nd

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1980s

Critics 73 · Audience 70

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

73% liked it

82nd percentile of all films

88th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 1980s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Critics 97% · Audience 82%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 6 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Song - Motion Picture

93rd percentile

131K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Comedy93rd percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 12% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8M
Opening weekend$5M
Domestic gross$51M
Worldwide gross$51M

Returned 6.4× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a talky romantic comedy set in the minor leagues that cares more about characters and atmosphere than baseball action or conventional sports-movie structure.

Fans praised

  • witty, sharply-written dialogue and memorable one-liners
  • authentic depiction of minor league baseball life and culture
  • strong chemistry among Costner, Sarandon, and Robbins

Detractors panned

  • romantic subplot and love triangle feel forced or unconvincing
  • over-reliance on locker-room profanity and sexual content
  • slow pace and lack of dramatic stakes or plot development

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Costner natural and charismatic, Sarandon magnetic, Robbins a standout as the dim-witted phenom

DialogueDivisive85

quotable one-liners, witty banter, and Crash's 'I believe' speech

AtmosphereDivisive82

evocative minor-league ballpark setting with small-town feel

CharactersDivisive78

three well-drawn leads — aging veteran, cocky rookie, baseball-obsessed groupie

HumorDivisive78

earthy, profane comedy with memorable on-field and off-field gags

OriginalityDivisive75

unconventional sports film focusing on minor-league drudgery and love triangle

Plot and storyDivisive65

thin story with predictable love triangle and no big-game climax

PacingDivisive60

leisurely, meandering rhythm that some find charming and others boring

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 15 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 20 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Bull Durham like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle and funny, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmJoyfulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters and the world of minor-league baseball with affectionate, knowing humour — it's warm and sincere, never mocking, even as it winks at the absurdity of the sport's rituals.
The rideThe film sustains a warm, gently amused register throughout, with moments of joyful exuberance during baseball scenes and a quiet melancholy in the final act as Crash's career ends and the relationship resolves.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological order over one baseball season, from spring training to the end of the season and beyond.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a warm, contented feeling — the romance and comedy satisfyingly resolved — but also a gentle wistfulness for the end of Crash's playing career and the passing of that season of their lives.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1% (this title)
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe film is a comedy of manners about the social codes and rituals of minor-league baseball, with the central relationship triangle and the mentorship of a young pitcher driving the plot. It also contains a rebirth arc for both Crash and Annie, who are each closing one phase of their lives and beginning another.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsPurpose · 9% of filmsLegacy · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores romantic love as a transformative, seasonal affair that ultimately settles into a more mature partnership, while Crash's search for meaning after his playing days and Annie's annual rituals point to deeper questions about purpose and legacy.
StanceThe film celebrates the messy, imperfect, yet deeply felt search for connection and meaning within the quirky subculture of minor-league baseball, treating both romantic love and the love of the game with deep affection.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSmall townDomesticRealistic
RockPopJazzSupportive music · hybrid · Michael Convertino
SettingMinor-league baseball in North Carolina, 1988
MusicFeatures a licensed compilation of classic rock, pop and jazz, including Edith Piaf and Los Lobos, alongside Convertino's original score.

Content guide

Is Bull Durham okay for kids?

R

Bull Durham is rated R. As of October 4, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (27/100), sexual content at intense (64/100), language at severe (81/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at minimal (11/100). Overall it is heavier than 33% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea19
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 58% of all filmsHeavier than 33% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 9%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%
Profanity
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 4%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Bull Durham have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Bull Durham?

Cast

Kevin Costner
as Crash Davis
Susan Sarandon
as Annie Savoy
Tim Robbins
as Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh
Trey Wilson
as Skip
Robert Wuhl
as Larry
William O'Leary
as Jimmy
David Neidorf
as Bobby
Jenny Robertson
as Millie
George Buck
as Nuke's Father
Lloyd T. Williams
as Mickey

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Bull Durham?

Movies like Bull Durham include Tin Cup (1996), White Men Can't Jump (1992) and Play It to the Bone (1999). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written or directed by Ron Shelton, and most are sports underdog stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Bull Durham?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: sports underdog. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.