tomjtleslie
I had previously read that Clint Eastwood had retired from acting following his wonderful performance in Gran Torino. Many were displeased, perhaps, especially after such a great last showing for him, but I was among those who felt it was a good thing. I always liked the man's acting, but after such a long and terrific career, I felt the old man had earned the right to hang it up if he wanted to.So when I heard he was returning for this film, I thought it odd and a bit troubling even. Had they tricked a senile old man into doing something he didn't really want to do, against his better judgment? Why ruin a good career with a potentially mediocre baseball movie, especially after going out with a bang like Gran Torino. Better to just leave well enough alone.And I heard the reviews. Not great. Just okay. I felt bad. I won't watch it, I said. I'll boycott. And I didn't watch it for many years, but finally I turned it on one day when I was bored and hungover and it was drizzling and gloomy outside. And boy, I'm glad I did. It made my day so much better and it really was great to see the old man back in action, doing what he does best. I'd like to see him back for many roles to come. Even if it is just another baseball movie.
Ian
(Flash Review)Ten minutes into this movie, I was thinking oh boy, this is clunky, forced and simplistic. But as it progressed the character development began to take shape. Not stellar by any means, many characters were stereotypical and the scenes used to illustrate those traits were
functional. The story was about a veteran baseball scout, think anti-Moneyball, who is matched up against a scout who only looks at statistics and whether or not a MLB team should draft a certain player #1 in the draft. The secondary storyline was the veteran scout's relationship with his daughter whom he gave sparse time to during her childhood. The story and dialog for the most part grew on me and as the father/daughter relationship began to take center stage it helped the movie. You also end up easily rooting for certain characters if you let yourself enjoy the film without picking apart the small details that aren't critical. Although, one did bug me. Where the daughter who apparently used to play baseball, was able to catch a top prospect's best fastball and curveball with ease. With that much time away from playing, those skills wouldn't immediately be finely honed. Anyway, fun sport drama with decent emotion and some cliché moments.
paulijcalderon
A nice feel good film. Nothing too special, but entertaining enough for a couple of hours. I'm not much for Sports films, but this had a lighthearted feeling and a reconnecting with your family story at its core. So, surprisingly enough for me, it held my interest.Clint Eastwood is known for being the image of the though Western Cowboy, but here is less though than you might expect. He does a nice job of showing something I've rarely see from him in films, a vulnerability and some great emotional moments. It was a touching aspect to this film and it reminded me of what good of an actor Eastwood can be. Maybe he has been typecast as the cowboy too often? I think he is great in Westerns, but it was very nice to see him do something different.The setting of the film is cozy and it feels very much warmhearted in some way. But, of course, it has a fair share of clichéd moments. You can pretty much guess what's going to happen while watching it. There are some comedic moments that fell a little flat and a few subplots that could have been skipped. Towards the end it felt convenient and I thought the filmmakers could have dared to make some twist to make it stand out more.What made the movie work was the warmhearted feeling throughout and it has some good intentions, I can tell. I wish it would have avoided some convenient story beats. There's a scene were Eastwood tells an emotional story and it was delivered in such a touching way that it will stick with me. So, I'm not gonna forget this movie.If you don't feel like watching something too exciting or hard hitting, then this movie is harmless enough to be enjoyed during a cozy afternoon.
ConsistentlyFalconer
Sport-based dramas, no matter how solid the first 2 acts, always hurtle towards a black hole of schmaltz in the third, and this one is no exception. Amy Adams does a good job, as expected, and Clint Eastwood does exactly what you want him to do. Worth a look if there's nothing else on, and there are some excellent moments here and there, but if the schmaltz isn't your thing then there'll be plenty of chances to get up and make a cuppa.Also, I can't make up my mind about Justin Timberlake. Is he an OK actor or not?Verdict: One for a long plane journey or if there's nothing else on tellyyetanotherfilmreviewblog.tumblr.com
AD
