Watch The Slugger's Wife

The Slugger's Wife, released in 1985, is a romantic drama film directed by Hal Ashby, and stars Michael O'Keefe, Rebecca De Mornay, and Martin Ritt. The story is centered around a talented baseball player named Darryl Palmer (O'Keefe) who falls in love with a singer named Debby Palmer (De Mornay) after a chance encounter at one of her concerts.

Darryl is a rising star in the major leagues, playing for the Atlanta Braves, and is on the verge of becoming one of the greatest players of all time. Despite his success on the field, he is lonely and looking for something more in life. One night, he attends one of Debby's concerts and becomes immediately smitten with her. Despite initial hurdles, they eventually start dating and fall in love.

Debby is an accomplished singer and songwriter with a promising career of her own. She is initially hesitant to pursue a relationship with Darryl because of his fame and the potential for their relationship to be scrutinized by the media. However, she eventually gives in to her feelings and the two begin a whirlwind romance.

As Darryl and Debby's relationship deepens, they begin to face challenges from both within their relationship and from external sources. Darryl's obsession with baseball takes a toll on his relationship with Debby, leading to heated arguments and a strain on their relationship. Meanwhile, the media attention surrounding their relationship intensifies, leading to intrusive and often unfair headlines.

The Slugger's Wife is a film about love, ambition, and sacrifice. It explores the difficult choices that individuals must make when balancing their personal and professional lives, and the toll that fame and success can take on relationships. Michael O'Keefe delivers a compelling performance as Darryl, highlighting his character's intense drive and passion for baseball. Rebecca De Mornay is also excellent as Debby, conveying both her vulnerability and strength as a woman balancing her own ambitions with her love for Darryl.

The Slugger's Wife is also notable for its soundtrack, which features several original songs written by Neil Diamond. The songs are woven into the fabric of the film, adding an additional layer of emotion and depth to the story.

Overall, The Slugger's Wife is a well-crafted romantic drama that explores complex themes with nuance and sensitivity. Despite its age, the film remains a powerful and emotionally resonant story about love and sacrifice, and is a must-watch for fans of the genre.

The Slugger's Wife is a 1985 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.4 and a MetaScore of 29.