Sunday's Matinee: "Fever Pitch"

It's always good to go into a theater without a lot of expectations. That way, when a movie is not so good, you don't feel as if you've wasted your afternoon and your money.

Or, when the movie IS good, you feel you've discovered a secret treasure, known only to you.

I am a huge Nick Hornby fan -- "About a Boy" is one of my favorite all time movies...so when I saw his name on the writing credits, I knew there would be more substance.

The acting for this film was a bit awkward, which means to me, there were times that I was watching the movie that I felt, "Hey, I'm watching a movie here..and those actors? They are just going through their lines." But still, you gotta love Jimmy Fallon...the cute one from SNL fame...OK, he's not AS cute as Tina Fey and probably not as smart, but he's definately in the "cute zone" for my tastes.

The thing about this movie -- and any movie that is worth watching -- is that it is so much more than about the subject. This movie isn't about Boston Red Sox, although if you are NOT a Sox fan, you're not going to appreciate the irony in some of the jokes nor will you get the passionate attraction this team has among its fans. This movie should be marketed in Oklahoma with a warning: ATTENTION! ALL OU FOOTBALL FANS -- pretend this movie is about YOUR favorite team! The jokes won't always work, but the idea, the concept is still pretty much the same.

Nick Hornby seems to know what men really hunger and thirst for. He seems to "get it" that there is not a man alive who doesn't yearn for the simple pleasures of a Sunday afternoon, pretending to be 11 years old again with a family that never lets him down.

But I don't give Nick enough credit here -- he also seems to understand what it is like for the women -- the non-jock women (like me!) who don't understand the passion of a simple game nor the men that love it.

If you've ever been widowed during March Madness, felt alone and adrift during the playoff season and really can't understand why your husband or boyfriend has more affection for players that he doesn't even KNOW over you -- you'll appreciate this movie.

I loved the irony, I loved the comic moments, the "intervention" between Fallon's character and his friends is the BEST...and the whole idea of relationships and what we love and the line between love and obsession.

I know it's not cool to like Drew Barrymore...she did that thing with D.Letterman and she's had her fair share of bad press...but that's exactly WHY I LOVE HER. She's smarter than others give her credit for, she has great instincts about what works in a film and what doesn't and she's not afraid to try new things. I think she'd be a great best friend...someone I'd like to hang out with sometime.

And Jimmy Fallon? So cute, you just wanna ruffle his hair. He has a few missteps in the film, but overall his comedic timing and his man-boy innocence are perfect.

Love this one...money well spent!