All you need is one good shot…” Golf Pro Roy McAvoy narrates to a client. And that’s all it takes for “Tin Cup,” Ron Shelton’s 1996 golf comedy, to get our attention. For golf lovers, the movie fosters in all the joys, frustrations, and anguishes of golf – from hooked shots, water hazards, sand traps, and four-letter words, all while setting the stage for romance, comedy, and a comeback tale. Almost. Golf isn’t about the bad shots, however; it’s about that one good shot, a lesson McAvoy knows well. Part comedic romance, part reclaiming yourself story, “Tin Cup’s” failed golf pro leads an ensemble cast that is likeable, a story that’s humorous and loveable, and, under it all, a look at demons you just can’t conquer.
Kevin Costner plays the titular Roy McAvoy or, Tin Cup, a once hopeful golf pro who owns a run-down driving range with virtually no clients. That he meets a woman (Renee Russo) who he soon falls in love with (incidentally his only customer) at the range, that she has an obnoxious boyfriend who has something of a history with Roy (“Miami Vice’s” Don Johnson), and that Roy has three loyal roadies, who stand up for him, drive him around, and tickle his ego is only part of the charm of this film. While some golf movies teeter the brink of pretention, or focus too heavily on lofty competitions, “Tin Cup” is not so much about the game, but why people play it, and why they just can’t put away the clubs after the worst game of their lives.
The film is carried almost solely by its characters, as I couldn’t imagine anyone other than the film’s cast playing these roles. As Tin Cup, Kostner is pleasing, the kind of goofy-yet-loveable underachiever the women in his life think they can change. Chock full of bravado and talent, Cup has the physical game required to be great, but not the mental game required to get there. Costner brings a charm to the character that seems as easy as it is natural. And then there’s Romeo (Cheech Marin), a perpetually single man who is Cup’s best friend, even if it causes him many a sleepless night. Marin and Kostner form a bond during the film that feels nothing short of an authentic friendship.
While predictable, the film’s love triangle between Johnson, Russo, and Kostner works as a plot device to help Roy face his demons from his past, even if he can’t exactly conquer the ones from his future. Johnson here owns the villainous role of rival golfer David Simms with a fervor that makes you feel Johnson must really like playing this role. Simms is as sure of himself as Roy isn’t; the two play off of each other in interesting ways during the film, especially during tournament play that shows how good Roy can be – if he can only get his immense ego in check.
Russo here is charming as well, and plays David’s girlfriend/Solome town psychologist with ease, who strikes up a kinship (and maybe more) with Tin Cup after she signs up for golf lessons. Leaving more serious roles behind such as “Outbreak” or the sports drama “Two for the Money,” Russo is charming and extremely likable, especially during scenes where Roy and David fight for her affections (such as a trick golf shot taken from a crowded bar, or Roy’s seeming inability to ever play it safe when he has a chance to go for the win). Kostner and Russo fall into an easy rapport, making the relationship seem awkward and real, where in the hands of less capable actors could have come off as forced.
Comically, “Tin Cup” provides laughs in the right places, both with Kostner’s dry-yet-endearing delivery, as well as the tongue-in-cheek manner in which Roy portrays his immense skill (including a humorous match play he pars with gardening tools) and scenes where Roy teeters closer and closer to losing it all by going for it when he should play it safe. Going for what? Anything, as there’s seldom a challenge Roy backs down from even when it’s disastrous for him.
“Tin Cup” also avoids the predictable conclusion many movies of its ilk follow. While its characters learn some lessons along the way, they don’t save each other from themselves – it’s not that kind of movie. Sometimes it takes crazy to meet crazy. “Tin Cup” is about finding the people that make your life better and holding on. With a fairly competent story, good acting, and likeable characters, “Tin Cup” is a good throwback movie that reminds you that good comedies are made of heart and not raunch, as many modern films tend to forget.
– by Mark Ziobro
