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Friday, September 21, 2012

MOVIE REVIEW
Trouble With The Curve
 Un-Conventional: Eastwood As Baseball Diamond Chair

Amy Adams as Mickey and Clint Eastwood as Gus in Robert Lorenz's drama "Trouble With The Curve".  Warner Brothers
    
by Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com        Follow popcornreel on Twitter FOLLOW                                           
Friday, September 21, 2012
"Trouble With The Curve" succeeds mightily in tying a warm-hearted tough-love father-daughter story to a theme of underdogs and has-beens, resurrected to glory.  As directed by long-time producer and Clint Eastwood collaborator Robert Lorenz, the sentimental drama about "outsiders" (Latinos, washed-up ballplayers, women, the aged) connects its audience to the quiet struggles of its underdogs, making for a consistently entertaining and sweetly affecting film.

Gus (Clint Eastwood) is in his eighties, a baseball scout who's seen it all.  Now with failing eyesight and an estranged daughter aspiring to partnership in a law firm, he faces losing his multi-generation held scouting job.  A much younger scout is sent out to North Carolina to shadow Gus, a gruff sort who growls, snarls.  He seethes with a cynicism and bitterness that is comical in only the way that Mr. Eastwood can.  Gus is a less grim edition of the character the iconic director/actor played in "Gran Torino", and he hardly connects with daughter Mickey (Amy Adams), who coexists amidst a sea of sexism at her law firm.  Pitching legend Jimmy (Justin Timberlake) turned baseball scout runs into Gus and Mickey and befriends the latter.

Mr. Lorenz's film is about people on the margins, and how their marginalization by those in power positions goes and comes around like a curve in full circle, to bite those marginalizing people on their rear ends.  There are four small scenes, including one where white males snicker about Gus, and one where they scoff at Mickey.  Another scene features a white top baseball prospect badgering and mocking a Latino man selling peanuts.  Of course all of these hostile attitudes are exhibited at the doers' peril. 

"Trouble With The Curve", also a film about judgment in the game of sport and the game of life, features good work from Mr. Eastwood, Mr. Timberlake and Ms. Adams, the latter two of whom enjoy a free, easy rapport that's charming and believable.  Mr. Eastwood and Ms. Adams simmer with tension.  You understand the feelings these characters have, the frustrations, their vulnerabilities and their shortcomings.  Each of these traits are blended into a film that smiles and has fun with the little things in life as it showcases some characters' scorns and barely-veiled contempt for others.

Mr. Lorenz also appeals to the tenderness and pathos Mr. Eastwood explores in some of his films as a director, although "Trouble With The Curve" largely avoids such sojourns until its final 40 minutes, which will likely move some audience members.  The journey to that apex of emotion and resolution is genuine, sincere and at all times measured.  As a movie experience, the first-time director's film is light, plays things safe and wins you over as it pulls at your heartstrings.  

Also with: John Goodman, Robert Patrick, Matthew Lillard, Chelcie Ross, Ed Lauter, Bob Gunton, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Jack Gilpin.

"Trouble With The Curve" is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association Of America for language, sexual references, some thematic material and smoking.  The film's running time is one hour and 51 minutes.      

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