The Kevin Costner Classic On Netflix Is Still A Perfect Tearjerker

Field Of Dreams was written and directed by Band of Brothers and The Angriest Man In Brooklyn filmmaker Phil Alden Robinson, and touts performances from some of Hollywood’s most prominent heavy hitters. The film stars Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Amy Madigan, Gaby Hoffmann, and Pulp Fiction‘s Frank Whaley. The film serves as a classic American sports fantasy film based on the 1982 novel Shoeless Joe written by Canadian novelist W.P. Kinsella.

Field Of Dreams centers on Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella, named for the author of the novel, who runs a corn farm in Dyersville, Iowa with his wife and young daughter. Despite his moderate success running a farm, Ray lives in fear of growing old and dying a failure, due in large part to his poor upbringing and stilted relationship to his father. Facing financial hardship, Kinsella sees the spirit of deceased baseball legend “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, who implores him to plow out a section of his cornfield and establish a baseball field.

Ray carries on this undertaking, continually seeing additional apparitions of former Black Sox legends, though others fail to see the vision behind the financially devastating move, or the ghosts themselves. As Ray continues constructing his field of dreams in stark opposition to those who oppose him, he attempts to reconnect with his estranged father through their shared love of sport, culminating in a fantasy sequence sure to bring a tear to any viewer’s eye.

Field Of Dreams garnered a host of positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, resulting in a certified fresh 88 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film began with a limited theatrical run in April of 1989, eventually stirring up so much fanfare that it saw a wide release in theaters across the country, running through the remainder of the calendar year. The film grossed just under $85 million at the box office against an estimated production budget of only $15 million, serving as a certified hit for the studio.

The film was nominated for a number of Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. There was also some talk of reviving Field Of Dreams for a television reboot as recently as 2021, though no active production has been announced using the Field Of Dreams title at this time. The film has gone down in history, having been referenced in a number of pop culture staples such as South Park and The Simpsons, as well as widely recognized by the MLB in official marketing materials.

For those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Field Of Dreams served as essential viewing, taking a classic Hollywood fairytale and providing it with tearjerking family connections, all under the magical world of baseball. For those who have not seen the film yet, or those who wish to rewatch it with fresh eyes, Field Of Dreams is currently available to stream on Netflix.