'TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE'

'TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE' (PG-13) (3 STARS)

Written by Randy Brown
Directed by Robert Lorenz
Actors: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Matthew Lillard, Joe Massingil, Chelcie Ross, Ed Lauter, Bob Gunton, Rober Patrick

"Trouble With the Curve" won't change your life in anyway and yes it is very light and fluffy but it is like good comfort food. It is the perfect example of a movie being cliched while still being effective. It helps that Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams are really charming and that they light up the screen. It is not a great baseball movie but I think it is more about an estranged father and daughter who really love baseball story.

"Trouble" stars Clint Eastwood as Gus who is a old time baseball scout who rails against a computer judging talent. His eye sight is failing and his contract is about to run out. Amy Adams is his daughter Mickey, named after Mantle, who is a successful lawyer who is estranged from her father who left her after her mother died. Mickey will put a big case on hold that will make her a partner in her firm and help her dad. The story will delve into an incident that affected Gus and made him leave his daughter behind but that story didn't interest me.

What I did like was the chemistry between Eastwood and Adams and I am convinced that Adams can work with anyone. There is also a small love story with Mickey and Johnny played by Justin Timberlake who gets better and better with every movie. Johnny used to be an ace starting pitcher that was scouted by Gus until his arm blew out. I like Timberlake and Adams together but the love story wasn't the most interesting part of the movie to me either.

I really liked the third leg of the story as Gus and Johnny go after an arrogant high school power hitter. There will be a surprise that will be sprung from this story and yes it is cheesy but it works. The movie's charm lies in the performances and charm of Adams, Timberlake, John Goodmman and Eastwood who does a little of his "Gran Torino" character but with a different shade here.

There is a reason movies that Eastwood acts in are always charming and always comfort me, this is his first acting gig without directing in many years. He just has a knack to draw you in with his easy going charm. There is a reason flawed movies like this and his "Every Which Way But Loose" movies, which I have seen at least 50 times each, work. They do not try too hard, they are just fun, entertaining and easygoing.