Review of Fever Pitch (1985) by Shavonne — 09 Aug 2008

Fever Pitch is not your typical run of the mill romance. Yes, it has all the formulaic basics, but it addresses a relationship issue that movies rarely, if ever do. Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon) is a basically a good guy, he doesnâ??t lie, he doesnâ??t cheat, heâ??s funny, sweet, charming, attentive & he even teaches children for a living! Heâ??s practically perfect! Except for one thing, he is obsessed with the Boston Red Sox! The over-zealous sports fanatic issue is near and dear to my heart.

My parents have fought over the Denver Broncos for years. My mom calls herself a football widow. Iâ??m sure many a wife has had this problem, whether its baseball, football, basketball or hockey. So, it was great to see some similar arguments played out in a comedic way in a movie.

How much can you put up with from the one you love when it comes to having different interests & hobbies? How much will you, as one character puts it, let him or her â??colonize youâ??. Thatâ??s the issue this movie addresses in a funny & lighthearted way.

Drew Barrymore as Lindsey Meeks does her usual performance. Sheâ??s not a bad actress but not one that really strikes me as anything special either. But Jimmy Fallon was born to play parts like this.

When Ben first asks Lindsey out he plays the â??nervousâ?? bit including a really corny joke, which incidentally even makes the audience cringe in embarrassment for him. From then on this character continues to endure himself to the female viewer, taking care of Lindsey when she is sick, befriending her dog, buying baby clothes etcâ?¦ This role has shown how diverse his acting skills really are.

Heâ??s not just the goofball, physical comic from Saturday Night Live any more. He can play it straight & emotional too. I would also like to point out that if you are a die hard fan of the Farrelly Brothersâ?? usual locker room humor, you may be very disappointed.

There are no chickens being shoved up someoneâ??s rear end here. This movie is very tastefully done.