Summary
- Field of Dreams is one of Kevin Costner's best sports movies, earning 4 stars from Roger Ebert and three Academy Award nominations.
- The film, based on W.P. Kinsella's book "Shoeless Joe," stars Costner as a farmer inspired to build a baseball field on his land.
- Field of Dreams, a box office success in 1989, showcases themes of love, spirituality, and eternal connection, appealing to sports and non-sports fans alike.
Legendary film critic Roger Ebert gave the Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams a perfect 4-star review. Considered one of Costner's best sports movies, Field of Dreams was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay. While Costner is celebrated for his Western movies, he has also made an indelible impact on sports movies, particularly ones that center around baseball, like Bull Durham, For the Love of the Game, and Field of Dreams.
Field of Dreams was a box office success back in 1989, earning roughly $85 million against a production budget of $15 million. Phil Alden Robinson directed Field of Dreams and adapted the screenplay based on the book "Shoeless Joe" written by W.P. Kinsella. The moving sports film stars Costner as Ray Kinsella, a humble farmer from Iowa who is inspired by a voice that tells him "If you build it, they will come," which leads him to develop a baseball field on his farmland despite facing pressure to sell his property. The film also stars James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Amy Madigan, and Gaby Hoffmann.
MLB players have played on a real-life "Field of Dreams" in Dyersville, Iowa every year since 2021.
For Fans Of...
- Kevin Costner's all-time great movies like Dances with Wolves, The Untouchables, and Open Range
- Kevin Costner's classic sports movies like Tin Cup, For the Love of the Game, and Bull Durham
- Inspirational sports movies like Miracle, Remember the Titans, and Coach Carter
- Movies that blend sports and spirituality like Angels in the Outfield and The Hill
Why You Should Watch Field Of Dreams On Netflix In September
Field of Dreams
PG
Fantasy
Family
Drama
Sport
Based on a novel by W. P. Kinsella, Field of Dreams stars Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella, a farmer living in Iowa who one evening begins hearing a mysterious voice urging him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. An avid baseball fan, Ray takes on the project in hopes of honoring his late father. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster also star.
- Director
- Phil Alden Robinson
- Release Date
- May 5, 1989
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Phil Alden Robinson
- Cast
- Amy Madigan , Kevin Costner , James Earl Jones , burt lancaster , Ray Liotta , Timothy Busfield
- Runtime
- 107 minutes
- Budget
- $15 million
- Main Genre
- Drama
Field of Dreams is certainly not among Costner's most overlooked movies and is a must-watch for fans of classic Costner pictures and inspirational sports movies. Even though the movie centers around America's greatest pastime, it is profound and entertaining enough that even non-sports fans can find it enjoyable to watch. Some viewers may even find it touching due to its sentimental premise about a connection between a father and his son and fantasy elements that enter the realm of the supernatural. The film also blends the typically fact-heavy world of sports with a dreamlike wonder that touches on bigger concepts such as spirituality and eternal love.
Roger Ebert had high praise for Field of Dreams upon its 1989 release. "It’s a religious picture, all right, but the religion is baseball. And when he doesn’t understand the spoken message, Ray is granted a vision of a baseball diamond, right there in his cornfield. As “Field of Dreams” developed this fantasy, I found myself being willingly drawn into it. This is the kind of movie Frank Capra might have directed, and James Stewart might have starred in — a movie about dreams. Costner and Madigan create such a grounded, believable married couple that one of the themes of the movie is the way love means sharing your loved one’s dreams."
Field of Dreams will be available to stream on Netflix on September 1, 2024.
What ScreenRant has said about Field of Dreams:
Field of Dreams holds a place with movies like It’s a Wonderful Life that boasts extremely inspirational messages. At the movie's end, one feels better about humanity, moving forward with doubts due to its powerful reconciliations. Field of Dreams is so much more than just a sports movie.
How Field Of Dreams Compares To Kevin Costner's Other Hit Movies
While the film may be most approached by sports fans and fathers who cherish their backyard catches with their kids, there's plenty to love about Field of Dreams.
Field of Dreams is usually considered one of Costner's most memorable if not best movies. While some critics and viewers may not be able to suspend their disbelief enough to go along for the spiritual ride, the film does offer a powerful and touching message for those who are willing to stick with it. Field of Dreams has certainly had a major impact in the world of sports movies and has even made a permanent impression on the MLB, a feat which very few baseball movies, if any, can also claim. While the film may be most approached by sports fans and fathers who cherish their backyard catches with their kids, there's plenty to love about Field of Dreams.
Field of Dreams earned a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 88% and an audience score of 86%, making it one of Costner's most universally loved movies. It came out one year before Dances with Wolves, which won 7 Oscars and is considered by most to be Costner's magnum opus. Although one of his other celebrated baseball movies Bull Durham earned a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 97%, its audience score is lower than that of Field of Dreams at 82%. For the sake of comparison, Costner's other notable dramas, JFK and The Untouchables, earned RT critic scores of 84% and 83%, respectively.
Costner Movie | RT Critic % | RT Audience % | Box Office (Worldwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
The Untouchables (1987) | 83 | 89 | $106.2 million |
Bull Durham (1988) | 97 | 82 | $50.9 million |
Field of Dreams (1989) | 88 | 86 | $84.4 million |
Dances with Wolves (1990) | 87 | 87 | $424.2 million |
JFK (1991) | 84 | 88 | $205 million |
Hidden Figures (2016) | 93 | 93 | $236 million |
Field Of Dreams Is Still One Of The Best Sports Movies Of All Time
Looking deeper into the message behind Field of Dreams, one that extends much further than sports, camaraderie, and rulebooks alone, is truly how viewers of all interests can enjoy the Costner classic.
Field of Dreams is still considered one of the greatest sports movies ever made not because of its realism or statistical accuracy, but because it represents the capacity for heart and transcendental love within any sport, not just baseball. For non-sports fans, a movie about a guy risking everything to build a baseball field where the ghosts of famous MLB players will return from the dead might sound bizarre and ridiculous. Looking deeper into the message behind Field of Dreams, one that extends much further than sports, camaraderie, and rulebooks alone, is truly how viewers of all interests can enjoy the Costner classic.
5 Other Great Sports Movies On Netflix Right Now
- The Long Game
- The Blind Side
- Hustle
- Ali
- Gran Turismo
Field of Dreams
PG
Fantasy
Family
Drama
Sport
Based on a novel by W. P. Kinsella, Field of Dreams stars Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella, a farmer living in Iowa who one evening begins hearing a mysterious voice urging him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. An avid baseball fan, Ray takes on the project in hopes of honoring his late father. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster also star.
- Director
- Phil Alden Robinson
- Release Date
- May 5, 1989
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Phil Alden Robinson
- Cast
- Amy Madigan , Kevin Costner , James Earl Jones , burt lancaster , Ray Liotta , Timothy Busfield
- Runtime
- 107 minutes
- Budget
- $15 million
- Main Genre
- Drama
