ViewGuide

Created Apr 25, 2017 11:00PM PST • Edited Apr 25, 2017 11:54PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Cliches are rarely so well calibrated as in Trouble with the Curve. Crusty father, chip-off-the-ol’-block daughter, minor league baseball, small towns, hot dogs, roadhouses, and on and on. BTW, those hot dogs are of the ballpark and ballplayer varieties, with one of the latter played by Justin Timberlake. It all works.

   At its root, Trouble with the Curve is a latter-day Clint Eastwood movie. He didn’t direct, but it comes from his production company and features him as a lovable old coot. Challenging it’s not, but amusing it is, especially with ol’ Clint paired with Amy Adams as his estimable daughter. A full rotation’s worth of terrific supporting actors flesh out the cast, including the great Goodman, Chelcie Ross, Matthew Lillard, Robert Patrick, and yes, Justin Timberlake.

   Home run? Nope, but an easy double ain’t bad for a heartwarming movie about family and baseball.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Clint Eastwood’s final performance (so far) was in Trouble with the Curve. Let’s hope there’s more to come from this gruff icon of American manhood.

   Amy Adams more or less measures up as his feisty and professionally successful daughter. Still, she’s not great, which seems a pattern with her recent roles. Let’s hope this great actress isn’t already on the downhill slope of her career.

   Notable Supporters

   • Justin Timberlake uses his easy charm to good effect as a former phenom who romances her.
   • Matthew Lillard plays smug very well.
   • John Goodman is less impressive than usual as a chief baseball scout.
   • Robert Patrick mostly just fulminates as a baseball GM.
   • Scott Eastwood (Clint’s son) barely registers as a star pitcher.
   • Chelcie Ross adds character to any movie.
   • Jay Galloway was a high school athlete when called upon to play a pitching sensation in Trouble with the Curve. That’s him on the mound in the nearby video. He’s acted a couple of times since, but it looks like his first role might end up as his biggest.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

   Clint

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5

    6 stuntmen

15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Titillating 1.7

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 1.6

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.7

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0