“What crept up your ass?—Old age.”
It sure has for old guard Atlanta Braves baseball scout Gus Lobel portrayed well enough by Clint Eastwood. We first meet up with Lobel in the bathroom where the age factor hasn’t been kind to his urinating process.
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE has widower Gus totally set in his ways. He doesn’t use a computer and instead prefers to evaluate the talent on its home turf where he judges strictly by gut instinct.
But his eyesight is failing and he’s probably facing his final draft as his contract is coming up for renewal, the chances of which are practically nil.
“Get outta here before I have a heart attack trying to kill you.”
Enter fellow scout and pal John Goodman who persuades Gus’ semi-estranged attorney daughter Amy Adams to join dad on the road, evaluate his abilities and make sure he’s still capable of carrying out the task. Making for sparks-flying, cross family conflicts.
What we’ve got here is GRUMPY OLD MEN meets GRAN TORINO, which everyone thought would be Clint’s swan song.
But Eastwood’s long time collaborator Robert Lorenz was able to persuade the icon into just one more outing in front of the camera with Lorenz taking over directing duties.
Think of it as a cliche-ridden, aging baseball drama, but which certainly isn’t anything close to MONEYBALL.
However it’s sure a crowd-pleaser, as evidenced by the audience at the recent critics preview screening.
Yeap, it’s a warm and feel good cinematic treat, along the lines of THE BLIND SIDE, which will satisfy the masses, if only because of Eastwood’s presence.
His take on retirement: “Being comfortable is overrated.”
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE also features Justin Timberlake as a rival Boston Red Sox scout with sights set on Amy Adams.
It opens to 3-1/2 out of 5 stubborn fingers.
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. on KMBZ AM & FM / and anytime on Time Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / and throughout the Cornhusker state on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND.
I know some people out here are pulling hard for this one…and this director, what’s his name oh yeah Rob Lorenz…you go Clint…hope it has a big weekend…looks like fun…Hard to imagine a film world without the Clint Eastwood…nobody will take his place….he took John Waynes…big shoes to fill, Clint did that and then some…they were the best and last of that…
“On a trail drive, each and every man has his chore. The eye of the drive is the scout, riding out in front to test the trail and find water and bed ground. Others are stationed around the herd, hazing it when it moves and soothing it when it’s bedded down. A very important man is the master of the chuck wagon, because he’s not only got to be a good trail cook, but a jack of all trades as well. The man who holds the whole kit and kaboodle together is the trail boss. There’s one man in the outfit whoses got no chores of his own, gotta be ready and willin’ to take over anyone else’s. Yeah, that’s me – ramrod of this outfit, Rowdy Yates. “
Does he talk to an empty chair in this one?
After all the good movies he made during his career I wish Clint was going out on a higher note.
I agree Gene