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Avg. Critic Score: 73 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
15 Iffy for 15+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    USA Today | Mike Clark

    Though his film is like no other baseball movie, it may remind you of Paul Newman's hockey comedy Slap Shot: a knowing look at sport's underbelly - punctuated by jelly-belly laughs. [15 June 1988] Read full review

  • 90
    Washington Post |

    It eases up on you, lazy as a cloud, and carries you off in a mood of exquisite delight. To borrow W.P. Kinsella's phrase, it has the thrill of the grass. Read full review

  • 90
    Los Angeles Times | Sheila Benson

    It's just that when a movie is this close, with so much of the sports flavor (co-producer Thom Mount is co-owner of the real Durham Bulls), you like to see it perfect. [15 June 1988] Read full review

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    A treasure of a movie because it knows so much about baseball and so little about love. Read full review

  • 80
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    You may catch yourself trying to remember where you parked a little before the end. Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Tribune | Dave Kehr

    Successfully avoids the grandiose mythmaking that has been the bane of the baseball movie from ''Pride of the Yankees'' to ''The Natural.'' Rather than a vapid national epic, it is a warm, droll, deftly cracked romantic comedy. [15 June 1988] Read full review

  • 75
    Christian Science Monitor | David Sterritt

    Even if baseball isn't your favorite sport, or if you don't like sports much at all, you'll find something to catch your attention in this smartly made (if unblushingly vulgar) new comedy. [7 July 1988] Read full review

  • 70
    Variety |

    A fanciful and funny bush league sports story where the only foul ball is its overuse of locker-room dialog. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | Elvis Mitchell

    Dialogue that strains to be colorful, indiscriminately piled-on pop songs, plot developments that aren't followed through on, and minor aspects of motivation that are never known. [15 June 1988, p.C20] Read full review

  • 25
    San Francisco Chronicle |

    In a word, bull - cruddy, foul-smelling and fly-specked, an excuse for a series of cheap sex scenes and single-entendre gags. [15 June 1988] Read full review

View more reviews for Bull Durham on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 15+ Winning but mature comedy about sex and baseball.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that there are many explicit discussions of sexuality in this film. Susan Sarandon's character spends a great deal of screen time outlining her philosophy on sexuality, especially about the relationship between sex and baseball. There are a few scenes of simulated sex with a little nudity. Alcohol, lots of strong language ("f--k," "s--t," and "p---y"), bar fights, and a marijuana reference are also onscreen.
  • Families can talk about where sex fits into our culture and our personal lives. What are the characters' philosophies about sex? What messages about sex have you learned from your families? How does the media portray sex?
  • Talk about beliefs. What do you believe in? What's important to you? What guides you through life and helps you make decisions?
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Embrace all you meet, because there is something to be learned from each person you encounter. Also, there are multiple ways to look at every situation.
  • rolemodels true3 Positive role models: The leading male and female roles in this movie are multifaceted. Annie is smart, giving, thoughtful, and comfortable with her sexuality. She is extremely well-read and teaches her lovers about poetry and metaphysics. Crash is Annie's perfect match. He has learned from his life experiences and knows exactly what he wants. He too is smart, generous, and level-headed. Crash thoughtfully comes down from the Major Leagues to help train and teach a promising rookie maturity and professionalism.  
What to watch for
  • violence false2 Violence: There are two fist fights between the rookie pitcher and the catcher; however, they are short and there is no bloodshed. Lots of yelling.
  • sex false4 Sex: The movie's plot compares sex to baseball. The film is chock-full of sex, some nudity, and frank sexual discussions.
  • language false5 Language: Very strong language.  The word "f--k" occurs over 10 times in the first 20 minutes of the movie.  Also, "son of a bitch," "p---y," "c--k," and "s--t" are frequent. 
  • consumerism false2 Consumerism: The players drink Miller Light and Jim Beam. 
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: The coaches chew tobacco, Annie smokes marijuana, and the players drink alcohol.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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