TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

US, 2012, 111 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, John Goodman, Chelcie Ross, Ed Lauter, George Wyner, Bob Gunton, Jack Gilpin, Matthew Lillard, Robert Patrick, Justin Timberlake.
Directed by Robert Lorenz.

No, not a film about safe driving. Rather, a film about baseball and the question posed by Moneyball in 2011, whether talent scouting using computer data is more accurate than relying on the human eye and the instinct for observing the capacities and gifts of players. Moneyball favoured the computer. Trouble favours experience and the veteran human being. And, with Clint Eastwood playing the talent scout and allowing the screenplay to mock his lack of IT experience, there is no prize for guessing which method is in favour here.

Many of us had wished that Gran Torino would be the final screen performance for Eastwood, the redemption of the crusty curmudgeon, Dirty Harry seeing the light. But no, here he is again doing his curmudgeon with a vengeance – and, of course, being vindicated with his scouting ability against the bureaucrats and the presumptuous desk scouts.

Eastwood plays Gus (81 at the time of filming) whose contract is up for consideration, who persists in using the old ways, whose eyesight is failing and who can growl and growl with the best of them. His good friend (John Goodman) worries about him and asks Gus’s lawyer daughter (about to become a partner in her firm) to visit her father to see what she can do. She is played by the ever-versatile Amy Adams. Father and daughter are more or less estranged. He grieved after his wife’s death, tended to ignore his daughter and sent her away to be educated.

As might be guessed, this is a story about father-daughter understandings and reconciliation as well as about baseball. There is also a complication when a former player, Justin Timberlake, falls for the daughter.

Non-baseball fans will be able to live through the sports scenes because they are watching Gus as a character, relating (or not) to his daughter and defying the on-line experts. There is also a most obnoxious player who presumes he will be selected and will live the hedonistic life of a sports celebrity. We obviously enjoy his comeuppance at the pitch of the Latino son of the motel landlady when he has trouble with the curve ball.

As baseball films go, this is not in the ideal league of Field of Dreams. But, it is a chance to see Clint Eastwood in his 80s doing his thing once again, a screen icon if ever there was one.

1. The popularity of baseball films? Films about family? Father-daughter relationships? The old and the need to change? The value of the old? The presumptions of the younger and new?

2. The Georgia and Carolina settings, the baseball world, countryside, motels? Atlanta and law firms? Different worlds? The musical score?

3. The strong cast, the old and the young? The Clint Eastwood type of film?

4. Audience knowledge of baseball, Americans, international responses, the names and dates, the records, state of play, style of play?

5. Clint Eastwood, his age and appearance, crusty, the curmudgeon, experience, his job, skills, his treatment of his wife, treatment of his daughter, acting badly, continuing to do this? At home, his eyes, the mess of his house, his anger, kicking the furniture, the need for glasses? Refusal to have his eyes tested? The contract, the nature of the job, the time of the contract lapsing, retirement?

6. The Money Ball approach to baseball? Vince and his committee, Pete and his warning Gus? Phillip and his presumptions? Change, discussions, talent, scouts, the importance of business, getting in the crowds? The range of characters in the group?

7. Phillip and his Money Ball approach, smug, his taunts, reliance on the computer rather than experience, his own scout, the messages coming in, his plan, his PR talk with Vince, his standing by his candidate? The final comeuppance?

8. Pete, his friendship with Gus, going back a long time, warm, coming to warn him, seeing the reality of Gus’s eye difficulties, going to meet Mickey, persuading her to come to be with her father, the issue of contracts?

9. Mickey, her work, in the law firm, the interviews and the response of the men, the promises for promotion, partnership? Her rival and his lesser abilities? Her own skills? Her response to Pete, going to see her father, the continued sparring, her caring for him despite herself, her puzzle about him? The arguments, his eyes, the discussions about law, his wanting his daughter to be a lawyer? Going back into the past, her own knowledge of baseball?

10. Jack, his character, his being scouted by Gus, his injury, his commentaries? Recognising Gus? The discussions? The attraction to Mickey? His career, the interest, the romance, the dancing? His taking up the offers for a better world and career, his choices?

11. The baseball prodigy, with his teammates, smug, his plans, his boasts, sexual prowess, his skills and achievement? The star, play, his audition, ambitions?

12. The world of the baseball scouts, the explanations of bidding, Gus and his advice, criteria?

13. The star, his being chosen, his going to practice, still smug? The Hispanic boys, the motel, the indication of their skills? The star and his racist comments? Gus, his noticing the skills and the weaknesses? Capitalising on them? The setup, Mickey and her throwing the ball? The star and his being exposed?

14. Gus and his skills, his criteria, his eye, intuition? Versus the computer?

15. The Hispanic player, the test, with Mickey, the star and his dismay, Phillip and his associate, the consequences of his recommendations?

16. John, his relationship with Mickey, going off on his own, returning, the happy ending?

17. Mickey, going back to the law firm, their employing her rival? Her leaving? Her baseball skills? Working with her father? The happy ending – and that even the gruff Clint Eastwood type can mellow?