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Tin Cup (1996)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 10/05, 7/20

TinCup
10/05: Tin Cup is a funny and romantic but weak comedy with a memorable scene.

Despite the talky dialogue, Kevin Costner has the best lines and plays a charming character in Roy McAvoy who exudes the stupidity of a white male. Yet he makes a beautiful point, "Because that shot was a defining moment. When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment...or the moment defines you." The result is his dramatic run at the U.S. Open, culminating in the greatest meltdown that's saved by the greatest shot ever in sports movie history.

Rene Russo is miscast and has no chemistry with Kevin Costner. The pace feels intermittent as the momentum might run strong for a while and then go down. Therefore, Tin Cup feels like a weak '6', but '5' seems fair for now. Certainly, it's the best golf film I've seen to date. With the exception of Cheech Marin, maybe Don Johnson, and the real golf people (I've got no frigging idea who they are and don't care), the supporting cast isn't strong enough to complement Kevin Costner.

All in all, Kevin Costner is the best thing about Tin Cup.

7/20: Because of Kevin Costner, Tin Cup is a classic golf picture.

When I say that, I mean almost nothing else works. Yes, Cheech Marin is great and I like Don Johnson, but let's be real: it's Kevin Costner's full-on charm that makes this a winner. The best scene is the "Greatest 12 in Golf History," scoring high for the film's replayability value.

So, what's wrong with Tin Cup? That's easy: it's too talky and Rene Russo. Hence, the dialogue has to be pared down; it just goes on and on, causing the film to stretch for 135 minutes. On the other hand, I don't see any attraction to Rene Russo, never have and never will. She and Kevin Costner have virtually no chemistry. Ashley Judd would've been a better choice.

All in all, Tin Cup gets a hole-in-one from Kevin Costner, thanks to his brilliant acting performance, but a bogey from pretty much everything else.