“Trouble with the Curve” follows an aging baseball scout, Gus, who is losing his sight but refuses to be benched. His daughter Mickey joins him on a scouting trip where they reconnect and mend their fractured relationship. Along the way, Gus must navigate unexpected obstacles and confront his past mistakes while trying to find the next big prospect. The film hits a homerun with its heartwarming story and stellar performances from Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams.
Review
In the grand tradition of American sports movies, “Trouble with the Curve” is a stirring and emotional tale of redemption, friendship, and, most importantly, baseball. The film stars Clint Eastwood as Gus Lobel, a veteran baseball scout who’s struggling to keep up with the changing times and a younger generation of executives who value statistics over intuition.
As the film opens, we see Gus watching a high school game from the bleachers with his longtime friend and colleague Pete Klein (John Goodman). They discuss their latest scouting efforts and lament the fact that so many young players just aren’t cut out for the sport anymore. Gus’ eyesight is failing him and he’s having trouble keeping up with all the new technology that’s being used to evaluate players.
When Gus’ boss (Robert Patrick) informs him that he’ll be sending his daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) to accompany him on his next scouting trip, Gus is less than thrilled. He doesn’t like the idea of being babysat by a young woman who doesn’t understand the game like he does. But Mickey proves to be more than capable of holding her own in a male-dominated world.
As they travel from town to town in search of talent, Gus opens up to Mickey about his troubled relationship with his estranged daughter (played by Eastwood’s real-life daughter Francesca) and his regrets about how he chose baseball over family. He also butts heads with an arrogant young executive named Phillip Sanderson (Matthew Lillard), who sees Gus as a relic of an outdated era.
The film builds to an exciting climax as Gus scouts a talented young hitter named Bo Gentry (Joe Massingill), whose father has been trying to keep him away from baseball. It all leads up to a thrilling scene where Gentry faces off against one of Gus’ old-timey picks in an exhibition game.
“Trouble with the Curve” is not only a heartwarming sports movie, but it’s also a moving character study of a man struggling to come to terms with his past mistakes and make amends with the people he loves. The film is anchored by Eastwood’s strong performance as Gus, who brings all his trademark gruffness and grit to the role.
Adams also shines as Mickey, who’s determined to prove her worth in a field dominated by men. She has great chemistry with Eastwood and their scenes together are some of the film’s best.
Director Robert Lorenz (who also worked on many of Eastwood’s previous films) does an admirable job balancing the film’s many plot threads, from Gus’ strained relationship with his daughter to his professional struggles. He also captures the beauty of small-town America and the joy of watching a baseball game on a lazy summer day.
While some critics have dismissed “Trouble with the Curve” as formulaic or predictable, there’s no denying its emotional power and its ability to stir up old-fashioned feelings of nostalgia for a simpler time when baseball was king. As Mickey says at one point in the film, “There are two kinds of people in this world – those who understand baseball and those who don’t.” If you’re one of the former, then “Trouble with the Curve” is a must-see.
Technical Data
- Runtime : 111
- Release : 2012-09-21
- Genre : Drama, Romance
- Cast : Clint Eastwood as Gus Lobel, Amy Adams as Mickey Lobel, Justin Timberlake as Johnny Flanagan, Matthew Lillard as Phillip Sanderson, Jack Gilpin as Schwartz
- Crew : Clint Eastwood as Producer, Joel Cox as Editor, Bill Coe as First Assistant Camera, Bub Asman as Supervising Sound Editor, Tom Stern as Director of Photography
- Popularity 84.225
- Budget : $60,000,000
- Revenue : $49,000,000
- Company : Malpaso Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures
- Summary : Slowed by age and failing eyesight, crack baseball scout Gus Lobel takes his grown daughter along as he checks out the final prospect of his career. Along the way, the two renew their bond, and she catches the eye of a young player-turned-scout.
- Tagline : Whatever Life Throws at You.
