Review of Trouble with the Curve (2012) by Tyler W — 02 Jun 2013

The baseball playoffs are coming up, Moneyball is still fresh in everyone's mind as being one of last year's best films, and let's face it, Clint Eastwood is still a huge draw for audiences (apparently politics, too) - what ever could go wrong with this mixture? For starters, Clint Eastwood isn't the one doing the directing, so when that usually happens, it's typically a miss - and a mess. Granted, not all of Eastwood's previous directorial films are gems (as long as we're talking politics, J. Edgar comes to mind), but more often than not it doesn't hurt having one of the greatest actors EVER calling the shots behind the scenes, as well.

Trouble with the Curve stars Eastwood as Gus Lobel, an aging Atlanta Braves baseball scout that is sent to North Carolina to scout a first round prospect and possible future star of the organization. The problem is Gus is losing his eye sight and can no longer visually see the game. His friend and co-worker, Pete (John Goodman), asks Gus' daughter Mickey (Amy Adams), an ambitious lawyer trying to make partner, to accompany him on the trip. Gus also reconnects with a failed prospect turned scout, Johnny (Justin Timberlake).

As far as the acting goes for this off-field drama, there's really no need to critique anything that Dirty Harry does on film, quite simply because he's earned the right to do whatever he wants. If he wants to play a cranky old baseball scout that's losing his sight, he should indulge himself. Amy Adams is easily the most enjoyable character to watch and masters the part to the best of her ability, but unfortunately she is thrust into a love story with Justin Timberlake, which feels out of place and unnecessary for this film. That's not to say Timberlake is bad in the role (since he has surprisingly turned out to be a decent actor), but there are already too many other variables to deal with without a forced/rushed love story complicating an already slow-moving story - namely stress father/daughter relationship.

If you're a fan of sports films, it's highly doubtful that this will even come close to breaking your top twenty. It is certainly no Moneyball, or even a Field of Dreams caliber experience. It's more of a Sandlot type film that only uses baseball as a backdrop to further its predictable, lackluster plot. Could this have been a football or basketball film? Very easily. The studio should be advised and encouraged to change the name of the film from Trouble with the Curve to Trouble with the Plot. Just saying.

Overall, anyone that loves Clint Eastwood will want to check out this film. He is still a master of his craft and it will be a sad day when he decides to call it quits on his long-lived acting career. Let's hope he stays in the directors chair, though. In any event, this film could have also been so much more to look at visually. Instead, audiences are forced to look at a high school baseball stadium backdrop for the majority of the film, giving it the 'cheat seats' quality feeling. For a film that had such high potential, it felt too busy and drawn out - not to mention sappy and bland. Aside from the acting, it really did provide a high amount of disappointment.