The Trouble with the Curve

The Trouble with the Curve is a part of my summer movie collection. Its lineup has a few of my favorite actors/entertainers: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake. Gus (played by Eastwood) made a career out of scouting major league baseball prospects. When his vision is impaired, he relies on other angles of judgment that he has developed during his lifetime of being a scout. On the chopping block, he’s assigned to determine if a particular high school player is worthy to be the Atlanta Braves number one draft pick. Unwavering from his convictions, disregarding the pressure of using computers, formulas, and spreadsheets, Gus’ experience does not fail him. Eastwood’s character is the last of a dying breed – I enjoyed this role because of his trademark instincts that can only be conveyed in a character as convincing as he is.

Mickey (played by Adams) is about to become the only female partner at a law firm. After working non-stop for the past seven years, she is hitting her stride and has the chance of proving her worth when she receives an unexpected request from her father’s colleague, Pete Klein (played by John Goodman.) Responding to a family obligation turns out to be one curve ball she hits out of the park despite a few key strikeouts that require her to straighten out her swing.

Johnny (played by Timberlake) was a pitcher whose life cycle ended too quickly because of an injury. In his stride toward overcoming adversity, he uses his positive and refreshing attitude for the greater good. When he reunites with Gus to watch this year’s potential number one draft pick, he finds himself improving his batting average as he swings for fences taking on a new career as well as teaming up with Mickey in a game of love. I enjoyed the chemistry between he and Mickey. I foresee their future to be fueled by  their current situations. With Mickey as a lawyer and Johnny as a scout they’d combine for a bonafide sports agent.

Fans of yesteryear and modern day will enjoy this flic because it bridges the gap between generations. People who remember DiMaggio, Mazeroski and Larsen and those who root for Pujols, Utley and Jeter have a different approach to analyzing the game, but one thing remains the same: you have to keep swinging the bat in order to overcome the trouble with the curve.