FEVER PITCH
The gross out comedy that
became the Farrelly Brothers’ stock in trade starting
with “Dumb & Dumber” has all but been abandoned with their latest film,
“Fever Pitch.” The closest the movie comes in mood and temperament is a barf
scene with the action off camera. “Fever Pitch” is a sweet romantic ode to the
power of love and an homage to the Boston Red Sox.
Saturday Night Live Alumnus
Jimmy Fallon is
wonderful as Ben Wrightman, a lifelong fanatical Boston Red Sox fan. His
apartment is decorated with everything Red Sox from pennant flags to the sheets
on his bed. He inherited his love of
baseball and box seats at
Drew Barrymore is charming
as Lindsey, a thirtyish professional business woman
who can’t seem to find Mr. Right. When Ben pursues her, she lowers her
expectations and dates him. Lindsey becomes violently ill and throws up
all over bathroom. Ben puts her to bed, cleans up and parks himself on her sofa
for the night. She succumbs to his caring nature. Simple acts of kindness spark
the flames for a passionate love affair that fizzles once the baseball season
kicks in. Eventually he must choose: The Red Sox or Lindsey. Eventually she must choose: The Red Sox and
Ben or her job.
As in any good relationship
movie, there is a lot of give and take where both sides either lose or win. The
2004 baseball season in “Fever Pitch” is given equal time with Ben’s romance,
so the outcome of the World Series is a given. The excitement of each game
leading to their breaking the Curse of the Bambino (the Sox had not won a World
Series since 1918 - the year they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees) and winning the World Series, is displayed by
the emotional outbursts of Ben and his friends. The trauma of Ben’s split from
Lindsey eventually overshadows Ben’s obsession with the Sox and jeopardizes his chance to
see the ‘greatest baseball game of all time! - the
game he has waited his whole life to see!
Each successive game in the World Series
becomes the greatest game of all time to every Red Sox fan as they move closer
and closer to defeating the Yankees. Each game drives Ben and Lindsey further
apart until each realizes how much they have come to need each other.
According to the press
releases before the opening of “Fever Pitch,” the Farrellys
intended a movie about a loser whose life parallels the life of the Sox who
always lost in the end. Little did they know that would all have to change with
the Red Sox’s good fortune. The result is a finale
that is every bit as exciting as the last game of the world
series itself. The end of “Fever Pitch” is analogous to O’Henry’s famous short story Gift of the Magi. Ben and Lindsey are prepared to sacrifice the
things they hold most dear for a lifetime of happiness rather than sacrifice
each other for foolish pride and a baseball game.
Copyright 2005
Some enjoyable Drew Barrymore films that announced her
entrance into womanhood.
“The Wedding Singer” (1998) - Drew Barrymore was equally at home with
Adam Sandler, another Saturday Night Live veteran who
abandoned much, but not all, of his manic persona for the sake of the story.
He’s the title character who becomes smitten by a waitress in love with a loser
after being jilted by his bride to be. They befriend each other with
predictable results but their charm and chemistry ooze off the screen. This is
still a great date movie.
“Never Been Kissed” (1999) - A female answer to Fast
Times at Ridgemont High - the book (Cameron
Crowe’s expose of contemporary California high school life in the late 70’s)
not the movie - Barrymore plays a twenty-something reporter who passes herself
off as a high school senior to get the scoop on 90’s high school life. She finds
not much has changed in the years since she graduated with ‘losers’ getting the
brunt of the ‘winners’ cruelty. Good Barrymore!
“Riding in Cars With Boys” (2001) - Barrymore really comes into her own as a
high school girl whose dreams of literary success are shattered when she
becomes pregnant and marries a loser played by Steve Zahn.
She literally grows up before our eyes as she matures and adapts to every
obstacle life tosses her way. She is less than the perfect wife and mother but
her tenacity, while grating to her son, is what makes her a survivor. This may
not be a great movie but it does have some great performances. Britney Murphy plays her staunchest ally
while Zahn gives some dramatic heft to his often
comic persona. Also with James Woods,
Three classic baseball comedies with Joe E.Brown - best known today for getting the last laugh in
the final scene of Billy Wilder’s “Some Like it Hot.” Brown was just as famous for his athleticism
as he was for his trademark ear to ear smile.
“Fireman Save
My Child” (1932) - Brown is both
fireman and
professional ball player who can’t find a balance between the two
but always manages to save the day and the game.
“Elmer the Great” (1933) - Brown is a slugger from the heartland recruited by the Chicago
Cubs. The result is comic culture clash pitting Elmer’s naivete
against big time baseball.
“Alibi Ike”
(1935) - Brown is the title character, a Chicago Cubs pitcher who knows how to throw’em but doesn’t always hit his mark. He is called
Alibi because he’s always making excuses for his mistakes. He gets mixed up with
gamblers and Olivia
de Havilland.