Review of Field of Dreams (1989) by William C — 22 Feb 2015

Grade: Just about 8/10.

Field of Dreams is a sports fantasy movie that has gone down as one of the best baseball movies ever made, and its not hard to see why. It has heart, it has true emotion and the people behind the scenes do as much as they can to not only draw you in to the scene, but also bring you closer to the characters involved.

It's a mysterious movie, constantly unravelling before your eyes and you end up by the end having a lovely after taste, if movies can give you one that is. I mean it doesn't have the best start in movies but over time progresses to a level any film maker or producer would be proud of, it's timing is done to perfection and the plot just keeps you guessing. It's written beautifully as well and the script is just one of the highlights done by director including writer of the movie Phil Alden Robinson who seems to not only have an eye to get the most emotion out of an adapted book, but also the heart.

Kevin Costner is the captain of the ship that is the movie and he steadies it well, he isn't perfect by any stretch but is far far away from being poor, a good show all round from him. I really liked James Earl Jones who has some of the best lines and also best scenes, him and Costner work beautifully together and you truly feel for his character and what he feels and whatever he chooses to do next.

The extra cast include people such as Ray Liotta who is calm and well done here, Amy Madigan who although a little over the top at times is still pretty good as Costner's wife Annie. One actor In the movie who deserves great respect is Burt Lancaster, already very ill and unable to act at times to his full potential, he still manages to bring a little charm and even a slight bit of magic to an already talented cast.

I loved the dedication and production that went into this, things like the camera work do really well and the score is hauntingly terrific with an Oscar nomination that went James Horner's way. I loved the setting of Iowa, long open spaces and it made the film able to describe it as nothing people would want to see but yet again the true magic of the movie kicks in and you find yourself backing Costner to sort out the troubles he has just for the baseball field.

Back to Phil Alden Robinson and he just knows how to direct here, with lovely precision and skill he seems to make a kind of bland sounding plot come alive really well and is truly a credit to all of these kind of emotional rollercoaster films we see.

Overall I just felt this was Just about very good and although not quite nearing absolute greatness, is still a cult classic and one film I will remember back to for a long time. This truly is one film you can enjoy with all the ages whether 5 or 85, the sweet plot and the warmth of the characters can even make the most hardened of movie watchers just feel an ounce of happy tears. Yes who knew looking at this straightforward plot it would bring such success and happiness to many, well you make a film like this, and they will come.