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Tin Cup poster

Tin Cup

year 1996decade 90sdirector Ron Shelton

134 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Kevin Costner Roy McAvoy
Rene Russo Dr. Molly Griswold
Cheech Marin Romeo Posar
Linda Hart Doreen
Don Johnson David Simms
Rex Linn Dewey
Lou Myers Clint
Jim Nantz CBS announcer
Ken Venturi CBS announcer

Tin Cup | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonsguest Joe Househost Craig Horlbeckproducer Craig Horlbeck
Explore episodeClose episode

Half-Assed Internet Research

Nickname origins; golf training and wagers; cameos; unrealized sequel

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:46Read transcript
  • The story reportedly grew from Chip Beck laying up and Gary McCord repeatedly hitting a hazard; the hero cannot lay up.
  • The nickname's baseball origin feels random; a golf wager or childhood putting story would fit better. A crude alternative is a joke.
  • McCord reportedly received a requested $250,000 consulting/cameo fee; Costner reportedly performed most golf shots.
  • Daly and Eddie Pepperell incidents are cited as real Tin Cup comparisons.
  • Tiger Woods reportedly nearly ran out of his unique balls at the 2000 Open; Williams suggested iron without explaining, but Woods hit driver, correcting the initial assumption he obeyed.
  • The ball-replacement rule prompts jokes about refusing a rival and carrying many spares.
  • The insulted grandparents and child are reportedly Costner's parents and son.
  • Tin Cup Lake and the possible Rankin setting are discussed; Midland is corrected toward Odessa for Friday Night Lights.
  • A contemplated Cup at Q School sequel never happened, despite Shelton researching it, and is considered a missed opportunity.
  • Costner reportedly stopped playing afterward; a quoted oral-history anecdote has Mickelson collect a wager before his spectacular tree shot lands.

Casting What-Ifs

Janine Turner; Michelle Pfeiffer; Dennis Quaid; Alec Baldwin; disputed Costner and Leguizamo reports

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:07Read transcript
  • Johnson reportedly lost the Untouchables role because of Miami Vice scheduling.
  • Baldwin was reportedly a casting possibility before a family pregnancy complication.
  • Janine Turner reportedly declined Molly.
  • Michelle Pfeiffer was reportedly approached before Russo.
  • Pfeiffer could have excelled but may seem too unattainable for a failing psychologist in rural Texas.
  • Dennis Quaid reportedly declined David Sims.
  • Baldwin reportedly accepted but withdrew three weeks before filming for family reasons.
  • Baldwin would establish villainy earlier and be less likable.
  • The reported offer of Shooter McGavin to Costner is rejected as implausible given his stardom.
  • The reported offer of Romeo to Leguizamo is doubted in light of his career position.

Picking Nits

Golf physics, distances and decisions; implausible relationships; missing tournament resolution

In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 00:29:02Read transcript
  • The love triangle strains belief: Sims permits intimate lessons, Molly bypasses his expertise, and both her practice and their relationship have implausible West Texas geography.
  • The three-wood shot's gentle landing and backward spin are physically implausible for the stated distance and period equipment.
  • The seven-iron's earlier distance conflicts with the three-wood distance; wind and rollout only partly explain it.
  • Refusing the drop zone risks a life-changing win and prize money for an unnecessary demonstration.
  • Repeated misses should silence a horrified crowd; contemporary spectators and social media would instead ridicule him, unlike the stoic 1990s legend.
  • Nice par, David can mean the golf score or a romantic double entendre; Sims's actual finish is not shown.
  • The charity event's national broadcast and large purse seem disproportionate; broke friends freely breaking expensive clubs is implausible.
  • Drunkenness and sleep deprivation before the Open are self-sabotaging; consecutive 62 and 64 rounds should become an enormous story.
  • The producer's belated instruction to watch Roy makes no sense when he is already leading and in the final group.
  • The film never resolves Sims's possible playoff or shows Jacobsen celebrating, while the crowd occupies the green before play seems complete.
  • Golden Tassel head covers may refer to the strip club; Molly's instant friendship with Roy's former partner is another nitpick. A framed broken three-wood is desired.

Roger Ebert's review

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:42Read transcript
  • Ebert gave three stars, praising dialogue and supporting characters while finding bloat.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Opening lesson; U.S. Open sequence; Roy shoots 62

In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:21Read transcript
  • Molly's first lesson establishes chemistry, the swing philosophy and unanswered questions about her appearance and arrival.
  • The first lesson conveys a believable golf obsessive through philosophical dialogue.
  • Caddying for Sims introduces the lay-up conflict and enjoyable professional cameos; Mickelson gambling has aged especially well.
  • Qualifying with a seven-iron after breaking the other clubs is admired; a hybrid is offered as an alternative single-club choice.
  • Sims's road-shot trick seems like an ingenious protagonist move rather than villain behavior.
  • The pelican shot is enjoyed; shooting 62 is preferred, with praise for Jim Nantz's unchanged voice.
  • The wide shot of the long tenth-hole putt is praised for showing the entire tournament setting; golf permits repeat filming without complex resets.
  • Russo's physical reactions, the broadcasters' astonishment and spectators entering the lake make the finale work; the twelve would remain memorable.
  • Nice par, David can mean the golf score or a romantic double entendre; Sims's actual finish is not shown.
  • The unconventional ending is preferred to an ordinary winning finish, especially on repeat viewing.
  • The opening lesson is the scene preference because it establishes character and golf poetry.
  • The U.S. Open hour is another preference, especially the opening shanks; helicopter footage is corrected from drone footage.
  • The 62 and final forty minutes are preferred, excluding the unnecessary final five.

What’s Aged the Best?

Jim Nantz; Mickelson gambling; sports psychology; golf sayings; CBS coverage; golf bags; West Texas; supporting characters; Tin Cup jokes

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:58Read transcript
  • Mid-1990s CBS golf coverage lends authenticity, although CBS did not cover the real U.S. Open; booth access strengthens the final hour.
  • Nantz, Mickelson gambling, the shanks and forward-looking sports psychology are aged-best selections.
  • Molly's professional competence is questioned after the meltdown, then defended because she initially recommends laying up.
  • Let the big dog eat remains influential; origins of grip it and rip it and the doctor riddle are questioned rather than securely established.
  • Broadcast production, leather golf bags, pawnshops, strip clubs, water on the eighteenth, Cheech as sidekick, Jimmy Roberts, West Texas and enduring Tin Cup jokes are praised.
  • Johnson and Marin's later Nash Bridges partnership is noted.

The most "year the movie came out" thing

Craig Stadler’s clothes

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:54:02Read transcript
  • Period details include young Nantz, Nissan/Infiniti sponsorship, the Walkman, Fuji blimp, romantic montage and Ring magazine.
  • Russo's hairstyle and excited recognition of period golfers date the film; Stadler's clothes are the stated period winner, while golf clothing overall is admired and absent Hootie music regretted.

The Big Kahuna Burger Award for Best Use of Food and Drink

Waffle House

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:02:25Read transcript
  • Waffle House is the food winner because Roy insists on remaining himself despite new money.
  • Bourbon chased with antacid is an honorable mention.
  • Drinking Pepto-Bismol straight from the bottle after spicy food prompts a joke about never laying up at dinner.

Moment When Sex Becomes Inevitable

Molly visits Roy’s trailer

The panel proposes a new category here.

Flex pick · Joe House

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:46Read transcript
  • A new House flex identifies the moment sex between characters becomes inevitable; the trailer visit is the corrected example, replacing the second-lesson recollection, and its title remains under development.

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Unclear lesson; stripper subplot; inconsistent Roy characterization; excessive shanks; unnecessary epilogue

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:14Read transcript
  • Lack of a lesson is a weak-link objection; never laying up, immortality and possible endorsements offer counters.
  • The stripper/deed subplot could be cut; the older former partner seems implausible, with ex-wife corrected to ex-girlfriend.
  • Roy alternates inconsistently between eloquent philosopher and someone confused by ordinary vocabulary.
  • A professional could get the shanks, but Roy's repeated extreme shanks without a fix are excessive.
  • The film should end on Nice par, David; closing the stripper plot adds five unnecessary minutes, and a possible sequel could already be set up through next year's Open.
  • A contractual or bet-driven tango scene is joking speculation.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Roy’s inappropriate touching and wardrobe; Molly and Sims’s relationship

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:14:00Read transcript
  • Roy's pastel, linen and loafer wardrobe looks like Miami rather than West Texas; his Open wardrobe improves, and no hat was more common then.
  • Molly inexplicably discovers Sims's unpleasantness only when he insults a fan; the relationship remains unconvincing.
  • Rapid Open qualification is questioned, then the local/sectional system is explained as broadly plausible.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Roy is a choke artist; Johnson and Costner could swap roles

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:19:31Read transcript
  • The hot take calls Roy a choke artist even in intimacy; impressive low-stakes shots do not translate under pressure.
  • Swapping Johnson and Costner could work, especially Johnson's Crockett manner as Roy; Costner's inconsistent accent is criticized.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

The mustached Cliffhanger actor in Roy’s crew

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:36Read transcript
  • Roy's supporting crew supply That Guy candidates; the mustached Cliffhanger actor is the stated preference.

Recasting Couch

Susan Sarandon as the strip-club owner

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:58Read transcript
  • Sarandon is proposed for the strip-club owner, connecting to Bull Durham.

Apex Mountain

Peter Jacobsen; CBS crew in movies; armadillos; seven-iron; Jim Nantz in movies

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:33:04Read transcript
  • Costner's Apex is Dances with Wolves, Marin's earlier comedy or later family-film career is debated, and Johnson's is Miami Vice.
  • Not laying up is floated as Apex; West Texas is redirected to Friday Night Lights, Russo is uncertain against other hits, and Peter Jacobsen and the CBS crew in movies receive affirmative answers.
  • Caddyshack is the golf-film peak despite Tin Cup's authenticity; Waffle House and the U.S. Open do not receive secure affirmative peaks.
  • Armadillos, the seven-iron and Nantz specifically in movies receive support; Nantz's overall career and partnership with Venturi peaked elsewhere.
  • Unexpected sports-movie losses are proposed for comparison; Rocky is preferred, its result corrected from a draw, while Friday Night Lights offers a strong surprise.

Cruise or Hanks?

Hanks; Cruise

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:38:16Read transcript
  • Hanks's sarcastic drunk persona suits Roy, while seeing Cruise learn golf has strong appeal; Cruise might insist on winning.

Is This Movie Better With…?

Mike and the Mad Dog reacting the next day

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:43:59Read transcript
  • Mike and the Mad Dog reacting the next day would improve the closing credits; an impression condemns refusing the drop.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Which golf film is most beloved?

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:45:19Read transcript
  • An explicit version of the measuring contest is joked about; Happy Gilmore likely wins a popularity poll, whereas Tin Cup is especially revered by golfers.

The Andy and Red – Zihuatanejo Award for What Happens the Next Day?

Sponsorships and a tour career; possible self-destruction

The panel is imagining how this might look in the future.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:46:37Read transcript
  • Next-day possibilities include endorsements, a book, wasted money or darker self-destruction; touring together creates a conflict between Molly's clients and Roy's competition.
  • An imagined defense of the awkward sex scene invokes fatigue and alcohol.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Golf clubs; fan-club hat or visor; golf bag; taxidermied animals

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:48:29Read transcript
  • Memorabilia candidates include the three-wood, seven-iron, fan-club hat, visor, taxidermied animals, animal-welfare letter and leather golf bag.
  • Golden Tassel head covers may refer to the strip club; Molly's instant friendship with Roy's former partner is another nitpick. A framed broken three-wood is desired.

Who Won the Movie?

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:26Read transcript
  • Jim Nantz receives explicit winner support for realism and intensity; Costner is initially a provisional answer.
  • Chirkinian is considered but the final answer is Costner because the film is his vehicle.
  • Costner is again declared winner as this closes a major phase of his leading-man career.
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Jim Nantz
Speaker not identified
Kevin Costner
Speaker not identified
Kevin Costner

Producer review

Skipped: producer is a co-host

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:42Read transcript
  • The separate first-viewing review is skipped because the producer is a co-host.

More from the conversation

Craig Horlbeck is introduced as longtime producer; Jacko is jokingly executive producing and explicitly invited to contribute.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:28Read transcript
Golf broadcast infrastructure feels authentic; the U.S. Open hour is especially strong, but 135 minutes is excessive.
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:29Read transcript
An initially disappointing first viewing improved once the goofy tone was understood.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:36Read transcript
The disastrous final twelve initially felt implausible; its refusal of a conventional win is admired, while an alternate winning ending remains conceivable.
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:21Read transcript
Golf suits dialogue and banter, and ordinary players recognize the reckless urge to attempt the difficult shot.
Approx. transcript time · 00:06:29Read transcript
The romance bloats an effective sports story, situated among mid-1990s sports romantic comedies.
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:40Read transcript
Costner is the clear sports-movie acting leader; Quaid, Jones, Sandler, Snipes and Harrelson are compared without an ordered list.
Approx. transcript time · 00:09:57Read transcript
Athletic credibility and a reported year training with Gary McCord and Peter Kostis support Costner's swing; editing, shortened follow-through and reported acceleration are debated.
Approx. transcript time · 00:11:56Read transcript
Costner reportedly accepted after a difficult Waterworld shoot and divorce; imagined casting preferences are jokes rather than production facts.
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:20Read transcript
Costner's celebratory body language is convincing; his swing is preferred to Johnson's, whose natural swing was reportedly changed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:41Read transcript
Jacko's executive-producer role is reiterated playfully; discussion turns to 1996 golf.
Approx. transcript time · 00:17:25Read transcript
1996 is proposed as golf's turning point through Norman's Masters collapse, Tiger Woods and popular films; Norman's nationality and collapse timing are corrected.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:19Read transcript
More golf films are desired, including a serious culture-clash athlete premise.
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:52Read transcript
Russo's consistent 1990s film run is praised against objections that Roberts had larger hits; her appeal and chemistry divide generations, with Lawrence suggested as a contemporary equivalent.
Approx. transcript time · 00:23:25Read transcript
Johnson's golfer appearance and wardrobe are praised; the later scene establishing villainy feels imposed on an otherwise likable rival.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:34Read transcript
Professional golfer and broadcaster cameos prompt nostalgic praise for George Michael's Sports Machine.
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:08Read transcript
Golf aphorisms prompt playful comparisons to fantasy football and bodily functions; greatness courting failure and defining moments are admired.
Approx. transcript time · 00:32:23Read transcript
Johnny adds podcast guest appearances to activities enjoyable without skill.
Approx. transcript time · 00:35:48Read transcript
The J.R. Smith Finals mistake is offered as a comparable bewildering live sporting experience.
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:24Read transcript
Trying to qualify is joked about alongside a future fantasy-football trip; not an episode theme.
Approx. transcript time · 01:17:16Read transcript
Modern recasting considers Hamm, Powell and Keaton; attractiveness, athletic plausibility and romantic credibility complicate the options.
Approx. transcript time · 01:52:46Read transcript
The aimless friends' loyalty to Roy is questioned, with imagined jealousy and political-future jokes.
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:36Read transcript