Movie Review - Fever Pitch

Last night I watched a movie that I had not seen prior. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. What initially attracted me to picking it out was two aspects; baseball and Drew Barrymore. So, I began to watch it with a positive bias, I guess. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think Drew is a great actress and I don't think she's all that pretty either. However, to me she's got a likable quality to her. Somehow, I've always felt she would make a good friend, or something. I don't know. Baseball on the other hand has been an interest of mine even before women were. It's still my favorite sport.

Anyway, in the movie, Drew (Lindsey) is matched with Jimmy Fallon (Ben). She is a successful hard working business woman, while Ben is a school teacher, who is also a devout Red Sox fan and a box seat season ticket holder, who never misses a game.

The timing of the movie is 2003 (movie made in 2005), and it follows the truly amazing Red Sox season, where they won the wildcard slot and down 3 games to 0 in the playoffs to the Yankees came back to not only defeat them 4 games to 3, but then go on to defeat the Cardinals for their first World Series Championship in 86 years. It truly marked a dramatic change in the franchise's history and demeanor.

The movie focuses on Drew (Lindsey) & Jim's (Ben) budding relationship during this amazing season and how they adapt and compromise in an effort to overcome their many differences and embrace their common desire to make it work. However, as the Sox season unfolds and the excitement is brought to a fever pitch, can the relationship overcome and survive Ben's love of the game and does he love it more than her ?

I found the movie charming, sweet, funny and endearing. While I doubt any Red Sox fan, or indeed any baseball fan would dislike this movie, I feel most people would enjoy it, even if they don't like baseball. I give it 6 1/2 stars out of 10 and this is a movie that is very safe to show kids. Enjoy !