# What were the GOOD Kevin Costner films? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260 "2005-06-28T20:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/21 "2005-06-29T00:58:25Z")
> [@Dr. Rieux](#): > > _Dances With Wolves > The Untouchables > No Way Out > Bull Durham > JFK > Tin Cup > Field of Dreams > Silverado_ > > All very good to excellent. …and _Open Range_. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/22 "2005-06-29T02:11:14Z")
> [@](#): > > I have to admit, Costner’s best role, the one that showed his acting chops to the fullest was The Big Chill. Heh. I opened this thread absolutely certain that someone was gonna make that crack. I’d pretty much agree with **watsonwil** ’s list, except that I’d move _Tin Cup_ up to ‘very good’, I’ve never seen Robin Hood, so can’t comment, and I’d replace _The Bodyguard_ with _A Perfect World_. And along with some others, I kinda liked _The Postman_, deeply flawed as it is. _Waterworld_ suxs like a Hoover, though, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/23 "2005-06-29T02:20:14Z")
I was gonna nominate _An Officer and A Gentleman_ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/24 "2005-06-29T02:34:36Z")
I loved _Silverado_ and have watched it many times. I think _Dances with Wolves_ is a modern day classic. I think I enjoy most of the stuff he’s been in to one degree or another and have never understood the flack he takes much of the time. Aside from the acting part, he seems to be a genuinely likeable guy. In recent OP’s concerning the likes of Tom Cruise I appreciate this quality even more. He does seem to like to show his butt in many of his flicks. Good for the ladies I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/25 "2005-06-29T11:56:00Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > … and even For the Love of the Game (though I seem to be the only one) I really liked the baseball portion of the film. Costner LOVES baseball and made HALF of an enjoyable movie. But anytime Kelly Preston is on screen (she may be the worst actress outside that Russian chick from Mission: Impossible part one), the film falls into dreckery. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/26 "2005-06-29T12:04:16Z")
I seem to remember reading an article in some magazine (sorry, no cite, it was years ago) about how KC was called into the director’s office and told that his part in _The Big Chill_ had ended up on the cutting room floor. According to the article, he took the news so graciously that Kasdan created (or perhaps reserved) a role for him in his next flick–which was _Silverado_. That movie is full of corny lines and cliches–and I just _love_ it! When my hubby and I were dating (oh, wow, could it really have been 20 years ago?), we went to see it twice! ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/27 "2005-06-29T12:12:08Z")
For the record, I wasn’t slamming Costner or “No Way Out” in that other thread. I just found a major plot point nonessential and that’s what I was questioning. I liked **Open Range** , **Bull Durham** and **Tin Cup** , and **No Way out**. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/28 "2005-06-29T13:59:26Z")
I also liked Bull Durham and love Silverado. Tin Cup was fine for 3/4 of the thing, then they didn’t know how to end it and it cratered. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/29 "2005-06-29T14:30:28Z")
Dances With Wolves was a goodie (check username-duh!) and another vote for Perfect World. The only part about Postman that annoyed was him finding an old Zippo, flicking it and it lights. Not. In. Reality. :dubious: Any present or former smoker who used a Zippo watched that scene and said, “Huh?” ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/30 "2005-06-29T15:35:17Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Dances With Wolves was a goodie (check username-duh!) and another vote for Perfect World. The only part about Postman that annoyed was him finding an old Zippo, flicking it and it lights. Not. In. Reality. :dubious: Any present or former smoker who used a Zippo watched that scene and said, “Huh?” My biggest beef with _The Postman_ is that, as I understand it, the governemtn was overthrown by some militia group lef by a farmer who wrote some book full of ideas they all loved. I also got the imperssion that this happened less than twenty yeasr before when it takes palce, yet apparantly, a good portion of Americans forgot how to read, forgot what mail is, and no place ANYWHERE has any semblance of real society. Look, I don’t see any way a militia group could overthrow the US government. From how the movie is presented, it makes it clear that a minority of people supported this farmer (that group Costner was a slave for liked him, but only the leaders, really. That town he went to seemmed to like the old USA.) Where was the army and national guard to stop this overthrow? Sorry, I just don’t buy that it could happen like that, nd that in such a short time, seemingily everyone forgot everything. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/31 "2005-06-29T16:17:36Z")
I read the book The Postman before I saw the movie, and it made a lot more sense to me. I am a huge fan of Post-Apocalyptic fiction (books and movies), and I was a little disappointed in the movie version. Costner was okay in it, though. And I didn’t hate _Waterworld_, either. **bouv** , if I recall correctly, it wasn’t that quickly. The crux of the biscuit was the isolation of each little pocket of civilization, which The Postman helps to alleviate, thereby setting the stage for a return to a larger civilization, rather than small enclaves, each led by their own particular chief who may or may not be a good leader. As far as I’m concerned, _Bull Durham_ and _Dances With Wolves]_ are two of the best movies ever made. My husband and I watch _Bull Durham_ about once a year. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/32 "2005-06-29T16:18:30Z")
I don’t know how it is in the book the movie is based on but I seem to recall talking to someone who read it and they explained it as the American Civil War replayed again with much more devastation… Not that that solves all the problems you listed but… ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/33 "2005-06-29T16:42:19Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > I don’t know how it is in the book the movie is based on but I seem to recall talking to someone who read it and they explained it as the American Civil War replayed again with much more devastation… Not that that solves all the problems you listed but… What basically happened in the book is that WWIII broke out between the US and China, with nukes, bioweapons, etc. smashing the major cities and infrastructure, then after that was over (I don’t remember who, if anyone, won that war, not that it mattered, since Texas apparantly got turned into a glow-in-dark glass factory ☹ ) a civl war broke out between what was left of the US gov’t, in which the Postman fought in some National Guard unit (he had a name in the book, but one thing I like more about the movie is his not having a name) and then he eventually found himself wandering around Oregon with a geiger counter, a donkey, and a revolver with only 3 bullets. There’s also talk of genetically-enhanced super-soldiers (That’s who the bad guys are lead by, and some good guy ones surface towards the end) The movie basically left out the backstory which gave the plot some context, and then hit a highlight reel of most of the books highpoints, (though it left out some major points in the book, some good, many that just seemed kinda goofy even when I was in the 8th grade). Still, my absolute favorite scene in the entire movie is Kevin Costner, riding a horse, Colt .45 in his hand unloading on the baddies. Just a cool image, specially with the anachronism of a semiautomatic weapon and a horse. Oh, and as for him not using an English accent in Robin Hood… apparantly he tried, and it was universally agreed that he should stop trying. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/34 "2005-06-29T16:48:41Z")
Dang copywrighted material… …otherwise I’d post the Far Side cartoon of DLDWWS, the Didn’t Like Dances With Wolves Society. Basically just three snarky losers in a big auditorium griping about the movie. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/35 "2005-06-29T20:30:23Z")
Fandango 😛 ;j 😛 ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/36 "2005-06-29T21:49:18Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > “3,000 Miles from Graceland” is a terrible movie in a good way but Costner’s performance as the bad guy illegitimate son of the King is good. I am so ashamed to admit this, but I liked 3,000 Miles from Graceland. However. Another vote for Silverado and for Field of Dreams. I’ve not seen most of the others, and thought the best thing about The Postman was Tom Petty’s sudden appearance, even if his acting was terrible. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/37 "2005-06-29T23:21:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I have to admit, Costner’s best role, the one that showed his acting chops to the fullest was **The Big Chill**. Drat! You beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/38 "2005-06-30T02:36:48Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > **bouv** , if I recall correctly, it wasn’t that quickly. The crux of the biscuit was the isolation of each little pocket of civilization, which The Postman helps to alleviate, thereby setting the stage for a return to a larger civilization, rather than small enclaves, each led by their own particular chief who may or may not be a good leader. IMDB says the year is 2013, movie was made in 97. That’s 16 years. I guess it might be possible that maybe just that small area is devasted that badly, but it seems odd that an area would remain isolated if it was the only area isolated. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/39 "2005-06-30T04:46:11Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > IMDB says the year is 2013, movie was made in 97. That’s 16 years. I guess it might be possible that maybe just that small area is devasted that badly, but it seems odd that an area would remain isolated if it was the only area isolated. Well, also keep in mind, the movie’s based on a book written in the mid 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260/40 "2005-06-30T05:05:52Z")
**A Perfect World** and **Field of Dreams** are two of my favorite movies, period. **Dances with Wolves** is also very underrated. I know it won a ton of Oscars, but lots of people raised a big stink when it beat **Goodfellas** (which I consider an inferior film) for the awards. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-good-kevin-costner-films/310260.md?page=3)