What age is Bull Durham appropriate for?

Bull Durham is rated R and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 17+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film includes an extended love-making montage between Crash and Annie throughout her house, a sexually charged scene where Nuke and Annie use handcuffs while she reads poetry, and pervasive strong language including 47 instances of 'fuck/fucking' and 8 of 'cocksucker.'

Does Bull Durham have swearing or bad language?

Bull Durham has Moderate language. 'Fuck/fucking' is used 47 times throughout the film

Is Bull Durham violent?

Bull Durham has Moderate violence. Crash punches Ebby in the parking lot, knocking him down with a short left hand

Is Bull Durham scary for children?

Bull Durham has Mild scary scenes. During batting practice, Crash is nearly hit in the head by an inside pitch, a brief tense moment

Is Bull Durham OK for Kids?

Name: Bull Durham
Director: Ron Shelton
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1988
Duration: 108 min
Cast: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson, Robert Wuhl

ComedyRomance

17+

R⭐ IMDb 7.0 / 101988 · 1h 48m

Ron Shelton● Script verified

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

Crash punches Ebby in the parking lot, knocking him down with a short left hand
Crash and Nuke get into a fistfight in the alley behind the whorehouse, with Nuke landing a punch with his right hand
A baseball collides with the Press Box during one of Ebby's wild pitches, and another wild pitch hits a batter in the ribs, causing him to crumple, and decks the Bull Mascot
A close, physical collision occurs at home plate between Crash and an opposing runner
No weapons are used and no one is seriously injured; violence is limited to sports-related collisions and brief fistfights played more for character drama than brutality

💬Language

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

'F**k/f**king' is used 47 times throughout the film
'Cocksucker' is used 8 times and 'p***y' is used 2 times
Moderate language includes 'da**/godda**' (31 times), 's**t' (18 times), and 'a**' (12 times), with milder use of 'hell' (6 times)
This is pervasive, constant profanity used casually in nearly every scene among ballplayers and coaches

👻Scary Scenes

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

During batting practice, Crash is nearly hit in the head by an inside pitch, a brief tense moment
A startling scene involves the discovery of comedian Max Patkin's ashes in Annie's home
Nuke has an anxiety-driven nightmare of pitching naked in front of a crowd, which is tense but played partly for comic embarrassment
None of these scenes involve horror imagery or lasting threat; they resolve quickly without real danger

💕Romance

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Annie's opening monologue discusses baseball and sex in explicit, suggestive terms regarding ballplayers' 'performance'
Crash and Annie kiss at the bar after dancing, and later share a gentle goodbye kiss between Nuke and Annie before he leaves for the majors
Nuke and Annie have a sexual scene involving handcuffs and poetry reading in her bedroom
Annie unsnaps her garter stockings for Nuke in the kitchen in a suggestive scene
An extended montage shows Crash and Annie making love throughout her house across multiple dissolves showing intimate moments
The film ends with Crash and Annie together on her porch swing, heading inside together, implying continued intimacy

🍺Substances

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

Crash drinks heavily at a whorehouse and later at a cheap bar after being released from the team
Players are shown smoking cigarettes throughout the film, and chewing tobacco is used casually by Skip, Larry, and other players
Beer is consumed casually at bars and team gatherings
Annie is shown smoking a marijuana joint alone in her kitchen, with a reference to rolling joints, and later smokes a joint together with Crash during an intimate scene
Substance use is depicted casually and realistically as part of the baseball/bar culture rather than glamorized or condemned

⚡Stimulation

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

Crash's focused at-bat sequence features an intense internal monologue paired with a near-miss inside pitch
Nuke's pitching montage shows a fast-paced sequence of fastballs and strikeouts during his winning streak
An extended, intimate love-making montage between Crash and Annie uses multiple dissolves and sustained emotional/physical intensity
Crash's celebrated moment hitting his 247th career home run in Asheville is an exciting high-energy scene
The confrontation and physical fight between Crash and Nuke in the alley is an intense emotional and physical sequence
Pacing overall is moderate with baseball-game energy punctuated by a few emotionally intense scenes; not likely overwhelming for teens but not intended for younger or sensory-sensitive children given adult content

Parents also checked

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Bull Durham — Heads Up for Parents

Parents expecting a lighthearted baseball movie should be aware this is an R-rated adult film with an extended love-making montage between Crash and Annie, a handcuffs-and-poetry sex scene between Nuke and Annie, and near-constant strong profanity including 47 uses of 'f**k' and 8 of 'cocksucker.'

About Bull Durham

Bull Durham is a romantic comedy set in minor league baseball, following veteran catcher Crash Davis as he mentors a talented but immature pitcher, Nuke LaLoosh, while both men become entangled with baseball groupie Annie Savoy. It's a witty, adult-oriented film that treats baseball almost like a religion, mixing sports drama with frank sexuality and locker-room language.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

For mature teens near the 17+ recommended age, the frank sexual content (including the handcuffs/poetry scene and extended love-making montage) and pervasive strong language benefit from a parent present to provide context and discuss the film's themes about relationships and personal responsibility.

Family Takeaways from Bull Durham

What it gets right

✓The mentor relationship between Crash and Nuke, including Crash helping Nuke up after their fight, shows how conflict can lead to mutual respect
✓The team's camaraderie during a losing streak highlights the value of sticking together through adversity
✓Annie and Millie's conversation about taking responsibility for one's actions offers a grounded moment of personal accountability

Bull Durham Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes

●Traditional family values

The film centers on Annie's desire to nurture and create a stable home environment, ultimately choosing commitment and marriage with Crash over the exciting but immature Nuke. The story arc specifically champions mature love, responsibility, and building a life together.

Cast:Kevin CostnerSusan SarandonTim RobbinsTrey WilsonRobert Wuhl