Now Playing


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.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, Sept. 28 — "Hotel Transylvania," "Pitch Perfect," "Looper," "Won't Back Down"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more