April 06, 2005

Rohit Reviews Fever Pitch

I had the opportunity to attend a school-sponsored sneak preview for the new romantic comedy starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore, Fever Pitch, tonight. Admittedly, having seen trailers for the movie in the past weeks, I was not particularly excited and honestly probably would not have attended if it had required that I spend money. Nevertheless, this indifferent state, with no semblance of expectations, was probably why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did.

Don't get me wrong; this movie was definitely no Oscar contender. Then again, not all movies have to be to be worthwhile and entertaining. Although formulaic and often times predictable, as are most movies of this genre, I think what made it stand out was the novel background against which it was set. The backdrop of the Red Sox's march to curse-breaking fame this last winter made for interesting situational comedy and I think Fallon did a great job of balancing his role as a good guy with an unbelievable obsession.

The movie, in my opinion, excelled where other romantic comedies of recent times, notably Love Actually (or as I like to refer to it: Not Actually) have failed, by not trying too hard. The movie flowed easily, and focused on only one storyline, which made it easy to follow. Furthermore, it did not preach in a way unbecoming of even the most lovesick adolescent about true love, which I found to be most annoying about Love Actually. The mostly practical approach to courtship used in this movie was refreshing and reminiscent of some of the better movies in this genre from the 1990s, such as Sleepless in Seattle

Setting aside the usual problems that can be found with any romantic comedy, the most prominent issue in this movie that I noticed was that the two main characters, Fallon and Barrymore, did not have much chemistry. Even at the best moments of the film, they appeared more like close friends than people in love. Then again, this opinion might be biased by my experience with more over-the-top movies in the past, and perhaps is simply a testament to the practical approach used by the director.

So what's my final conclusion about the film? Well, it's no When Harry Met Sally, which will leave you wondering whether there is something resembling true love, nor is it Alex and Emma, a movie that is only worth watching when dangerously intoxicated, and maybe not even then. Lying somewhere in between, it's probably worth watching in theatres (especially as a date movie), and I would perhaps even purchase the DVD if it came on sale for under $10. Overall, 3/5 stars; highly recommended for entertainment with no expectation.