Trouble with the Curve

Clint Eastwood hasn’t been in front of a camera for a few years. But he’s back as an old, ornery baseball scout. Now does this man who spends his days watching baseball alongside his scout friends and evenings reminiscing with them at bars, need to be so angry and ornery? Probably not, but Clint plays angry, so Gus, his character, is angry. The film follows Gus as he goes on a scouting trip for a sought after prospect just before the MLB draft. But in addition to battling the threat of being replaced by a computer in his team’s front office, he finds out he’s losing his vision. So his daughter (Amy Adams) lends a helping hand on the important trip. Gus, of course, grumbles about this.

There is a great deal of time spent with Adams whining about her relationship with her father. The first few instances are used to establish the characters; the last few confront the issue head on. It’s those middle dozen or so times the audience is told about Gus being an unlikeable dad that are unnecessary. It’s not a very complex movie, the audience gets it. When Adams’ character finds herself in a slowly budding relationship with another young scout, played by Justin Timberlake, the film adds the new dimension it needs to be successful.

Baseball fans will enjoy the movie, as well as those seeking a lighthearted story with some drama mixed in. The rewards come in response to the challenges the characters face. The patient viewer will enjoy the film, but will need to endure the slow moments that occur fairly regularly throughout. In addition to the three leads, who give strong performances, the supporting players, John Goodman, Matthew Lillard, etc. help move the film along as well. Trouble with the Curve is an entertaining film with interesting characters, though its slow pace proves a strike against it.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.