Susan Granger’s review of “Fever Pitch” (20th Century-Fox)
What could be better than teaming two of America’s favorite pastimes? Baseball and romance…in that order, at least for high school math teacher Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon). When successful businesswoman Lindsey Meeks (Drew Barrymore) meets Ben, he seems too good to be true: a perfect catch. He’s charming, gentle and funny – and her friends like him. But they’re suspicious. Why is he still single? Then baseball season begins. Lindsey discovers that Ben’s not only a Boston Red Sox fan, he’s addicted. He’s obsessed with the team. He’s a lunatic. Based on Nick Hornby’s novel, which inspired a soccer-based “Fever Pitch” (1997) starring Colin Firth, writers Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel (“Robots”) pair a workaholic woman with a man-boy sports fan. How much would/should each change to maintain a relationship? The key, as one of Ben’s young students says, is: “You love the Sox, but have they ever loved you back?” Directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly resonate with this romantic comedy that appeals to both sexes. Like, did you know that the Titanic sank the same week that Fenway Park opened? And talk about fortuitous timing: until 2004, in the midst of filming, the Sox hadn’t won a World Series since 1918, after they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Bye, bye, Bambino! Opening Day was filmed at Fenway with Stephen King throwing out the first pitch against the Texas Rangers, as the Farrellys followed – and re-wrote – during the historic season. Problem is: Jimmy Fallon (“Taxi”) is no Hugh Grant (“About a Boy”) Too bad his limited range of dorky cuteness doesn’t give Drew Barrymore more to play off. Yet on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Fever Pitch” is a corny yet charming 7. Consider it a dandy, heart-warming, fun-filled date movie.
