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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week, Clint Eastwood's latest, "Trouble With The Curve."

Trouble With The Curve
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, Robert Patrick, and John Goodman
Synopsis: There are few stars that have been as bankable and reliable in the 21st Century as Clint Eastwood. His films have been sturdy in terms of plot and performance, and generally they’ve been enjoyable. Some — such as 2004 Best Picture winner “Million Dollar Baby” — have even been great. Eastwood’s latest, “Trouble With The Curve,” wants to touch on some of those themes, but it doesn’t quite rise to that level. Robert Lorenz makes his directorial with “Trouble With The Curve,” but he’s had plenty of experience working alongside Eastwood. Lorenz has served as an assistant director and producer with Eastwood for years, including serving as assistant director on “Million Dollar Baby.” Given that, Lorenz certainly has a feel for the material, the style, and Eastwood’s strengths as a performer. Baseball movies have made a comeback the past few years. Last year, it was the cerebral drama “Moneyball” that took a look at the new wave of baseball scouting. “Trouble With The Curve” seems intent on making sure audiences realize computer projections can’t replace human instinct — at least when it comes to baseball scouting. That tension between the old school and new school theories of scouting is just one of the subplots in the film, but it’s one that’s hard to look past. The film is, essentially, taking a negative view of the kind of advanced metrics “Moneyball” used to praise the work done by Billy Beane in Oakland. The other part of the narrative is like a familiar blanket to Eastwood fans — it’s the story of a gruff man trying to connect with his daughter. In a lot of ways, you could consider “Trouble With The Curve” as the Disney version of the relationship in “Million Dollar Baby.” That both makes this film more uplifting, and a little less interesting. There is that same complicated dynamic between father-daughter, and the same level of bonding over the essentials of a sport they both love. But in the case of “Trouble With The Curve,” they manage to find a happy ending for them both. Gus is able to let go of the anger and guilt he feels over the way he’s handled things in his life and Mickey is able to overcome some of her daddy issues and embrace who she’s really meant to be. First-time screenwriter Randy Brown does a nice job balancing the humor and the drama, and Lorenz certainly has a feel for the material, the story, and his performers. Eastwood and Adams do a credible job in the main roles and plenty of other actors — including Timberlake, Goodman, and Robert Patrick — do a nice job in the supporting parts. “Trouble With The Curve” is a fairly predictable film, but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying. For those that like this kind of film, and those that have appreciated the last decade of Eastwood’s work, this will be a pleasant movie-going experience. It’s not his best, but it’s a step up from his past couple films.
Rating: PG-13 or language, sexual references, some thematic material and smoking.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

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