I don't know how much of Cobb is fact and how much is fiction. If it is closer to fact than Ty Cobb was a complete and utter ass. A spiteful and hateful man that didn't seem to be worth writing about let alone making a film about but when you peel back the layers you discover so much more about the man and that's what this film tries to capture. The one thing it doesn't truly touch on is that Ty Cobb was about Baseball...period. I thought Cobb would actually show the baseball career of Ty Cobb and it barely shows some flashbacks of such. This film is truly about Cobb in his final days and the infamous rumors circulating the man and his wild personality as told to world famous Sport's writer Al Stump. Sports screen writer Ron Shelton creates an incredible story surrounding a sport's legend based on the real book written by the real Al Stump (who was also an adviser on the film.) Shelton actually manages to make us see the underside of Ty Cobb. Sure the man is a total lunatic, raving about his younger days and his self imposed greatness but there is a sadness lurking below him, a sarcasm to all his behavior, a desire to be loved by making himself hated.
Who could play this diverse, and flexible character and make it his own. The incomparable Tommy Lee Jones, that's who. This is one of Jones' best performances and he was absolutely robbed by not getting some sort of nomination for some sort of award. He is the only actor who could create an absolute human monster and still manage to make you feel sorry for him, to make you sense his greatness and his talent. On top of that he plays the man dying in one breath and then goes back for Flashbacks and looks convincing as his younger self. He looks sickly and old and really close to death in his later scenes and he just does an incredible job of really embracing Ty Cobb. Robert Wuhl is an odd actor to take on in a lead role in this film. I say that because at the time and even now he was basically at best a supporting actor. I only remembered him in a small role in 1989's Batman. Besides that and a run with the successful TV Series Arli$$ playing a Sport's Agent (which was after Cobb) he was a no-name and a risk to put him opposite talent like Tommy Lee Jones. I think it was a risk worth taking!! Wuhl does a terrific job as Sport's writer Al Stump (Stumpy.) Their chemistry is unmistakable and both men are such flawed characters (Cobb more than Stump obviously) but they are both battling themselves in one way or another. Wuhl also narrates the story and kind of gives us an inside idea as to what is going on in his own mind as he tries to deal with this Baseball legend. Although I wouldn't describe Wuhl's performance as equal to Jones', I would say he holds his own and does a terrific job.
Ron Shelton also directs the film and is certainly no stranger to sports films. After doing Bull Durham, Blue Chips and White Men Can't Jump he really put himself into Cobb. All his sports films are so much more than just about the sport. He brings out his characters and makes you feel them and really care about them and he goes all out with Cobb. You become completely entangled in these two men's lives as they travel together. The film is not about Baseball, it's not about the story, or the trip, or the legends, it's about Ty Cobb...period. Again I don't know how accurate the information is but here he is on the table no holds barred and it's brilliant. It's a biopic about a man that the world hated but no more than I think he hated himself and no more than what he created himself to be. You have to look at small details like his support of fellow team mate Mickey Cochrane, the way his eyes light up when he speaks of his children and the constant mention of his parents and his father's death. I read several reviewers that brought up the point in the narration when Al Stump says "I did something Ty Cobb never did...lie." They point out that Ty Cobb lied about everything and I think that was the idea...that comment was entirely, heavily sarcastic. See the film for yourself because Baseball fans and Tommy Lee Jones fans and fans of powerful biopics will love it. For others it might move a little slowly. It's worth seeing. 8.5/10
Who could play this diverse, and flexible character and make it his own. The incomparable Tommy Lee Jones, that's who. This is one of Jones' best performances and he was absolutely robbed by not getting some sort of nomination for some sort of award. He is the only actor who could create an absolute human monster and still manage to make you feel sorry for him, to make you sense his greatness and his talent. On top of that he plays the man dying in one breath and then goes back for Flashbacks and looks convincing as his younger self. He looks sickly and old and really close to death in his later scenes and he just does an incredible job of really embracing Ty Cobb. Robert Wuhl is an odd actor to take on in a lead role in this film. I say that because at the time and even now he was basically at best a supporting actor. I only remembered him in a small role in 1989's Batman. Besides that and a run with the successful TV Series Arli$$ playing a Sport's Agent (which was after Cobb) he was a no-name and a risk to put him opposite talent like Tommy Lee Jones. I think it was a risk worth taking!! Wuhl does a terrific job as Sport's writer Al Stump (Stumpy.) Their chemistry is unmistakable and both men are such flawed characters (Cobb more than Stump obviously) but they are both battling themselves in one way or another. Wuhl also narrates the story and kind of gives us an inside idea as to what is going on in his own mind as he tries to deal with this Baseball legend. Although I wouldn't describe Wuhl's performance as equal to Jones', I would say he holds his own and does a terrific job.
Ron Shelton also directs the film and is certainly no stranger to sports films. After doing Bull Durham, Blue Chips and White Men Can't Jump he really put himself into Cobb. All his sports films are so much more than just about the sport. He brings out his characters and makes you feel them and really care about them and he goes all out with Cobb. You become completely entangled in these two men's lives as they travel together. The film is not about Baseball, it's not about the story, or the trip, or the legends, it's about Ty Cobb...period. Again I don't know how accurate the information is but here he is on the table no holds barred and it's brilliant. It's a biopic about a man that the world hated but no more than I think he hated himself and no more than what he created himself to be. You have to look at small details like his support of fellow team mate Mickey Cochrane, the way his eyes light up when he speaks of his children and the constant mention of his parents and his father's death. I read several reviewers that brought up the point in the narration when Al Stump says "I did something Ty Cobb never did...lie." They point out that Ty Cobb lied about everything and I think that was the idea...that comment was entirely, heavily sarcastic. See the film for yourself because Baseball fans and Tommy Lee Jones fans and fans of powerful biopics will love it. For others it might move a little slowly. It's worth seeing. 8.5/10