“If I Had to Boil It Down Like That: Kevin Costner Names the Two Roles He Cherishes the Most”
Sports films are a tricky genre — often a go-to when studios want a surefire way to tug at the heartstrings. The underdog narrative is usually enough to distract from the far-fetched dialogue or the often laughable athletic performances.
Still, a few exceptions have broken through the formulaic mold. The Fighter stands out by offering emotional depth and a raw, human-centered story within the world of boxing. Rather than another clichéd “team beats the odds” plot, it delivers a heartfelt look at addiction, family, and redemption. More recently, Challengers took a different angle, exploring relationships and power dynamics through the lens of competitive tennis — presenting something fresher and more emotionally complex.
Then there are films that fully embrace the absurdity of sports storytelling and become cult classics in the process. Happy Gilmore is perhaps the most iconic example. It leans hard into the ridiculous — Adam Sandler’s character wins a golf tournament using a hockey stick and bouncing a shot off scaffolding. But it works because it knows exactly what it is. Despite a lackluster sequel two decades later, the original endures thanks to its self-aware charm.
On the more serious end of the spectrum is Moneyball, arguably the best baseball movie ever made. Adapted from Michael Lewis’ book, it doesn’t rely on clichés or grand sports moments. Instead, it dives deep into the strategy and math behind the game, with standout performances from Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. It’s smart, layered, and still manages to give us that satisfying narrative arc that sports movies thrive on.
That’s a hard act to follow for anyone — even Kevin Costner, who’s no stranger to baseball films. He starred in For Love of the Game, a movie that ticks all the predictable boxes: aging star chasing one last moment of glory while trying to patch things up with a lost love. And of course, he manages to do both. Not exactly groundbreaking. But for Costner, it’s one of his most cherished roles.
“I’ve had the pleasure of playing in some movies that people continue to talk about, so that’s always really fun,” he once said. “But, if I had to boil it down like that, I really liked playing Billy Chapel in For Love of the Game,” he admitted, before adding a more critically respected favorite: “And I loved playing Charlie in Open Range.”
Fair enough. Costner might not have the filmography of a Daniel Day-Lewis, but he has been in some heavy hitters — Dances With Wolves, JFK, The Untouchables. Still, maybe there’s a part of him, like so many of us, that wishes he could’ve lived the life of a sports legend. And maybe For Love of the Game gave him that chance, if only for a few hours.
