Plot
A washed up golf pro working at a driving range tries to qualify for the US Open in order to win the heart of his succesful rival's girlfriend.

Release Year: 1996

Rating: 6.2/10 (21,470 voted)

Critic's Score: 60/100

Director: Ron Shelton

Stars: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Don Johnson

Storyline
Roy 'Tin cup' McAvoy, a failed pro golfer who lives at the run-down driving range which he manages with his sidekick and caddy Romeo in the West Texas tin pot town of Salome, ends up signing over ownership to a madam of 'show girls' to pay off debts. His foxy novice golf pupil, female psychiatrist Dr. Molly Griswold, turns out to be the new girlfriend of McAvoy's sarcastic one-time college golf partner, slick PGA superstar David Simms, who drops by to play into Roy's fatal flaw: the inability to resist a dare, all too often causing him to lose against lesser players, in this case gambling away his car. Falling for Molly, Roy decides to become her patient; in order to earn her respect, he decides to try to qualify for the US Open, after starting off as Simm's caddy 'for the benefit of his experience'. His talent proves more then adequate, but over-confident negligence of risks...

Writers: John Norville, Ron Shelton

Cast:
Kevin Costner - Roy 'Tin Cup' McAvoy
Rene Russo - Dr. Molly Griswold
Don Johnson - David Simms
Cheech Marin - Romeo Posar
Linda Hart - Doreen
Dennis Burkley - Earl
Rex Linn - Dewey
Lou Myers - Clint
Richard Lineback - Curt
George Perez - Jose
Mickey Jones - Turk
Michael Milhoan - Boone
Gary McCord - Himself
Craig Stadler - Himself
Peter Jacobsen - Himself

Taglines: Golf pro. Love amateur.

Release Date: 16 August 1996

Filming Locations: Arlington, Texas, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $10,128,834 (USA) (18 August 1996) (2012 Screens)

Gross: $75,900,000 (Worldwide)

Runtime: 135 min

Trivia:
The grandparents and grandchild with a dog in the scene where Simms yells at them after asking for an autograph are played by Kevin Costner's parents, Sharon Costner and Bill Costner. The grandchild is played by his son, Joe Costner.

Goofs:
Factual errors: On the second hole of the final round, Roy bets Gary McCord he can hit it off the porta potty onto the green. His ball only gets to the fringe short of the green, but McCord pays anyway.

Quotes:
Roy 'Tin Cup' McAvoy: When was the last time you took a risk?
Dr. Molly Griswold: Well, I'm with you, Roy. I'm with you.

A viewing pleasure

Rating:

Every time this is on TV, I stop and watch it, with absolute fascination. Do I play or even like golf? Hell, no. Do I care about any sports? Hell, no. Well, except for pro wrestling, and I barely watch that anymore as I sink into old age. What fascinates me about TIN CUP is the delirious story and the colorful characters. Costner, not one of my favorite actors normally, is simply brilliant as a down-on-his-luck golf pro and Rene Russo is absolutely striking as his newfound love interest and salvation. This is one of Russo's greatest roles, in fact. In addition, there are two terrific supporting roles, with Don Johnson as Costner's archnemesis and a real cad (which I suspect is how he is in real life) and Cheech Marin as Costner's stalwart companion and partner in tomfoolery. In fact, Costner and Marin are essentially Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, but instead of tilting at windmills they tilt at golf holes here. You definitely don't have to like golf to enjoy this movie, slick and formulaic as it may be. And seeing Johnson and Costner going nose to nose may give you the same frisson as seeing Travolta and Willis standing elbow to elbow in PULP FICTION. Two truly big names that you never expected to see together in one movie. Say what you want about both Costner and Johnson (talk about lives lived to excess), but they are both terrific in this tidy little romantic "dramedy." This not a kiddie movie. It is a movie for adults who have lived real lives and can relate to adult characters who have had their share of ups and downs and can still dream.

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