Trouble With The Curve (2012)
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An aging baseball scout must prove his worth to his organization while navigating a strained relationship with his daughter on a scouting trip.
The story
Aging Atlanta Braves baseball scout Gus Lobel is struggling to prove his value to his organization in an era of advanced statistical analysis. His boss, Pete Klein, wants to keep him on but must deal with an ambitious junior executive, Phillip Sanderson, who views Gus as an obstacle. When Gus is assigned to review a top prospect, he is joined by his daughter, Mickey, a workaholic lawyer. Despite their strained relationship, Mickey accompanies him on the road, where she helps him manage his failing eyesight while they navigate the complexities of the MLB draft.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Gus Lobel, an aging Atlanta Braves scout, is pressured by ambitious executive Phillip Sanderson to prove his worth. While scouting a high school prospect, Bo Gentry, Gus is joined by his daughter Mickey. During the trip, Mickey discovers Gus's failing eyesight and helps him evaluate Gentry. They also meet Johnny "The Flame" Flanagan, a former player turned scout who becomes a romantic interest for Mickey. Gus and Mickey eventually discover that Gentry cannot hit a curveball, leading them to advise against drafting him. However, Phillip uses statistics to override their advice, and the Braves draft Gentry first. After a falling out with Johnny, Gus returns to Atlanta. Mickey later discovers a talented young pitcher, Rigoberto Sanchez, and brings him to the Braves' field. She convinces the team to let him pitch against Gentry, who fails to connect with his curveball. The executives realize their mistake, fire Phillip, and offer Gus a contract extension. Mickey declines a partnership at her firm to represent Rigoberto, and the film ends with her and Johnny sharing a kiss while Gus walks away.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Lorenz
- Writers
- Randy Brown · writer
- Cast and characters
- Clint Eastwood · Gus Lobel; Amy Adams · Mickey; Justin Timberlake · Johnny "The Flame" Flanagan; John Goodman; Matthew Lillard
- Genres
- sports drama; romance
- Themes
- father-daughter relationships; aging; legacy
- Tone and mood
- grizzled; dramatically underwhelming
- Premise and plot tags
- sports drama; father-daughter story; baseball
- Reception
- The film received mixed or average reviews, with a 51% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 58/100 score on Metacritic. Audiences gave it a B+ grade on CinemaScore.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Intergenerational Story · AARP Movies for Grownups Awards · 2013 · lost
- Production trivia
- This was Clint Eastwood's first acting project since 2008's Gran Torino.; The film grossed the second lowest take for a film featuring Clint Eastwood as an actor.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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