Everybody's a critic: 'Fever Pitch'

Two-and-a-half stars (out of four)

"Fever Pitch" is a much better film than I expected. As I saw the clips and read what the movie was about, I expected a sappy love story and poor acting, especially by extras in the ballpark scenes. I shouldn't have been so fast to judge.

Anyone who is a baseball fan could appreciate the premise of this movie. However, it's hard to believe someone would pass on a free weekend in Paris with his beautiful girlfriend just to watch a game. Well, not just any game, but one during an important Red Sox series with (insert any American League team here, it wouldn't matter).

Drew Barrymore proves once again that she has a cute persona for the camera, but this script provides no opportunity for her to display her mediocre acting ability. And while newcomer Jimmy Fallon is completely believable as a Red Sox fanatic, his comic moments are spaced sporadically and he has very little ability for serious acting.

This movie has its moments, and the scenes of the crowds are obviously filmed during games. However, the best scene is when a little league player turned into a Dr. Phil wannabe asks Ben (Fallon), "Did the Red Sox ever love you back?"

-- Ken Cook

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One star (out of four)

I like the Red Sox. I liked the Red Sox enough to root for them against the Cardinals despite the extreme personal risk that comes with rooting against the Cardinals 100 miles away from St. Louis, and sharing a house with a bunch of Cardinals fans.

I liked the Red Sox enough to buy that Red Sox book that Stephen King and that guy who wasn't Stephen King wrote.

I don't like the Red Sox enough to like "Fever Pitch." It tried really hard to make me like it, what with the recent-history setting, the fact that it was filmed side-by-side with the historic Sox victory, and even the working-in of Stephen King. But I can't stand simpering male leads in romantic comedies, and Jimmy Fallon makes John Cusack in "Say Anything" look like Dennis Hopper in "Blue Velvet."

He's not a boyfriend; he's Drew Barrymore's accessory.

Aren't sports movies supposed to be for men?

You'd get more entertainment out of watching tapes of last year's Sox games.

-- Davis Dunavin