Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie Review

A minor league rom-com.

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater February 17, 2012

After the high concept/low payoff comedies Shallow Hal and Stuck on You--neither of which gained much traction with audiences--the Farrelly brothers played it safe with their next film, Fever Pitch, a comparatively straight-forward rom-com and an adaptation of Nick Hornsby's 1992 soccer-centric memoir, which had previously been made as a British film starring Colin Firth. The Farrellys switched the sport to baseball but kept the gist of the story the same, veering significantly away from their previous gross-out farces--Kingpin, There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber--and toward a more sentimental, softer style of comedy. Less body fluid gags and more gag-inducing lovey- doveyness, you might say. Longtime fans of their edgier work questioned the change, but Fever Pitch was fairly well-received by more mainstream moviegoers and critics, who found it palatable, if a little bland. Seven years on, the film's reputation hasn't changed much--it's still charming and formulaic in equal measure--but it does stir up a sense of nostalgia for the Boston Red Sox's curse-breaking 2004 season, where they won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. (Yankees and Cardinals fans may feel differently.) The Sox's miraculous comeback in the play-offs actually forced the filmmakers re-write the ending, working the frenzy of the World Series win into the story.

The film stars SNL-alum and now-Late Night host Jimmy Fallon as Ben Wrightman, a corduroy-wearing high school geometry teacher who, during the winter at least, appears to be a normal if boyish guy. As a public school employee, he's far from rich, but he's the sort of polite, soft- spoken gentleman who would make a perfect catch for the right kind of lady. Drew Barrymoore's Lindsey Meeks probably isn't that kind of lady--she's a high-powered, number-crunching executive for a private jet-rental company--but she takes a chance on Ben when he brings a class of bright young 9th graders to observe her at work. Their first date is a disaster with a happy aftermath. Bowled over by a stomach bug, Lindsey pukes shortly after answering the door, but Ben sticks around to take care of her, scrubbing her toilet, bringing her Gatorade--gotta replenish those electrolytes!--and even brushing her dog's teeth. What a sweetheart, right? They hit it off, but Lindsey's gal pals--including Ione Sky, who you might recognize from Say Anything--are suspicious. Ben seems too perfect. There has to be some reason that he's still single. And, naturally, there is. Lindsey's first tip-off is the fact that every inch of Ben's apartment is covered in Red Sox merchandise and memorabilia. Later, when he goes to Florida with his buddies to watch the spring training games, she sees him interviewed on TV, acting like a total lunatic. It becomes clear that for Ben, Red Sox baseball is more than just a pastime--it's a fanatical, all-consuming obsession.

Still, Lindsey views it as a positive that Ben has the capacity to be so passionate about something, and while she secretly hopes his passions will be redirected toward her, she reads up on Red Sox history, goes along with him to games--he's a season-ticket holder--and tries to make it work. One of the film's themes is the extent to which it's natural to adjust your life and personality to please a significant other, and Lindsey certainly gives it a go. The problem is with Ben, whose devotion to the Sox is so rigid and unyielding that it keeps him from being open to new experiences. There's a particularly painful scene--for the characters and, to some extent, us--after Ben and Lindsey have just spent a phenomenal evening together. In an act of let me prove that I can change selflessness, Ben has given up tickets to a home game against the Yankees, choosing instead to go to a birthday party with Lindsay. Later, they make love and have this almost transcendental feeling of togetherness, but then Ben finds out that he's just missed one of the greatest 12th-inning comebacks ever and blows up at Lindsay, blaming her for why he couldn't be there. Mind you, this is after he turned down a weekend trip to Paris with her in favor of attending a particularly important playoff game. As Lindsay puts it, "When your girlfriend offers to take you to Paris for the weekend, you go." The guy has some serious issues. Lindsay's in love with "Winter Ben," but "Summer Ben" is a whole other ballgame.

The movie follows the usual rom-com trajectory--the meet-cute, the ups and downs of an unlikely relationship, the inevitable lesson learning, the happy-ever-after ending--so don't expect to be surprised or shocked by any of the turns the plot takes. Nonetheless, like most of the films adapted from Nick Hornsby's books, Fever Pitch has a ring of truth to it, even when it's at its most syrupy. (Screenwriting team Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, who co-wrote A League of Their Own and Where the Heart Is, are no strangers to schmaltz.) The film works because of its characters; we understand them, we know people like them--maybe we are like them--and it's satisfying to watch them untie the psychological knots in their relationship. Jimmy Fallon makes a far better late night host than he ever was as an actor, but he's nicely suited for this part, stammering with his characteristic puppy-dog-man-boy goofiness early on, growing sullen when Lindsey can't understand Ben's obsession, and gradually coming into a more balanced maturity. And Drew Barrymoore--who co-produced the film--is good too, if unchallenged by the sort of role we've seen her in countless times before. Together, they have an easy-going chemistry that keeps the film light and enjoyable. Of course, Fever Pitch's triumphant, amped-up last act owes a lot to sheer fate. There's no way the Farrelly brothers or the film's producers could've known 2004 would be the year for the Red Sox, but they certainly capitalize on the excitement, shooting at the actual curse-breaking, Series-winning game. Somewhere, the Bambino is smiling.

Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I've gotta say, I'm disappointed with Fever Pitch's 1080p/AVC-encoded Blu-ray presentation. I may be wrong, but it appears to me like 20th Century Fox just recycled an old master--probably the same high def master that was downscaled for the film's DVD release. This simply doesn't look like a picture that was remastered with Blu-ray in mind. For example, the frequent haloing that occurs around hard outlines? A dead give-away of edge enhancement. This wouldn't be as noticeable on DVD, but in 1080p it gives the picture a slightly harsh, mildly unnatural look. Digital noise reduction isn't as much of an issue, thankfully--there are no waxy, clay-like faces here, and grain is still visible--but the artificial sharpening is a bit of a put-off. Still, you can't say the Blu-ray doesn't look better than the DVD. Overall clarity is definitely improved, with facial and clothing textures that are more easily visible. Color is nicely reproduced too. There's not much notable about the film's cinematography--it has that typical bright, clean rom-com aesthetic--but the colors are dense and vivid, without looking oversaturated in the skin tones. The Blu-ray probably isn't worth the upgrade if you already own the film on DVD, but if you've yet to buy the movie, this is your best bet. Just don't expect high definition miracles.

Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fox has given the film the usual lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround mix, and though it never really works up much energy, the track is respectable enough for this kind of film. I mean, let's be honest; nobody's expecting brilliant, immersive, dynamically expressive sound design from a mid-2000s rom-com. The real channels are quiet-bordering-on-silent for much of the movie, but they do pipe to life when needed for ambience--like the crowd-goes-wild clamor at the stadium--and a small handful of directional effects. The score and the occasional pop song liven things up too, but the real focus here is on clean, balanced, easily understood dialogue. In that, the mix does exactly what it needs to do. The disc includes French and Spanish dubs--in Dolby Digital 5.1--along with optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles.

Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: The Farrelly bros sit down for a casual, entertaining chat about the film, spending much of the time gushing about how great everyone was, from the stars to the extras in the background.
• Red Sox Ending (1080p, 13:01): A slightly different cut of the ending.
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 19:51): A whopping thirteen deleted scenes, mostly small character beats.
• Gag Reel (SD, 5:59)
• Love Triangle Internet Featurette (SD, 2:09): A brief EPK-style promo.
• Break the Curse Internet Featurette (SD, 2:41): A short piece about how the shooting of the film coincided with the Sox winning the series.
• Making a Scene (SD, 8:01): Another interview piece that regurgitates some of the previous material.
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:23)

Fever Pitch Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Farelly brothers didn't quite knock Fever Pitch out of the park, but it is a decently enjoyable rom-com, especially for Fallon/Barrymore/Red Sox fans. And while 20th Century Fox hasn't hit a homer with this Blu-ray either--it has a rather dated-looking high definition transfer--it's certainly the best way to watch the film. I don't know if I'd bother upgrading if you already own the DVD, but the Blu-ray is definitely the way to go if the movie isn't in your collection yet.