Trouble with the Curve

Clint Eastwood has lied to us again.  In 2004 he claimed he would retire from acting after Million Dollar Baby, four years later he made the same claim with Gran Torino.  Now he's back to fake retire from acting in Trouble with the Curve.  It was directed by Robert Lorenz and co-stars such talented people as Amy Adams, John Goodman, and Justin Timberlake.

Eastwood plays Gus Lobel a baseball scout.  He has eye problems though, so people want to force him to retire so that computers and young people can decide if a kid has talent or not.  Being the grumpy old man that he is, Gus will have none of that.  Luckily Pete Klein (Goodman), who is Gus' boss-friend combination asks his daughter, Mickey (Adams) to go along with him.  Not only is she a sassy lawyer with issues with her father who abandoned her as a child, but she also has talent for recognizing talent.  Somewhere along the way Johnny Flanagan (Timberlake), a young baseball scout joins in the fun and tries to woo Mickey.

This film has gotten mixed reviews, I must admit.  I got over it pretty easily, so hopefully other fans of the cast members can as well. Is it cheesy?  Yes, a little bit, but not Full House cheesy, so I thought it was fine.  Do we know what's going to happen between Gus and Mickey and Mickey and Johnny?  Oh for sure.  Clint Eastwood is a softy at heart and Justin Timberlake is very good looking.  

The acting and casting was great in this movie.  Eastwood and Adams have extremely natural chemistry with each other.  After The Fighter, and every movie that is not The Fighter, I have to learn to completely trust Adams' acting instincts.  If needed she can be just as tough as Eastwood, while still being beautiful and charming enough to entice that guy who sang that Madonna song.  I found out that Justin Timberlake is hilarious, so now it is a pleasure for me to watch him in movies.  Also, I love John Goodman, so very much...so if he gets a couple scenes in a movie than I'm completely in.  Comedy, drama, voice acting...does it all flawlessly.  

It was kind of long ago since I saw this, but I think I teared up at one point, so people have that scene to look forward though.  Sometimes you just need a movie to manipulate your emotions.

Also, Clint Eastwood is an American legend and a tremendous talent, in front of and behind the camera.  It does not matter that he plays some variation of the same character.  It works for him.  

To this day I still smile and/or laugh when I hear Clint Eastwood say, "What are you fellas starin' at?  I'm not a pole dancer."  If that's not hilarious coming from him, then I just don't know what is.  

That's about it.  I loved the cast and found it to be an enjoyable couple hours.  Sure, Eastwood and the rest of the cast have done more memorable work, but I'm completely okay with supporting the careers of these lovely people.

2 1/2 stars out of 4.

-Joseph Sbrilli