Movie – Trouble with the Curve

 This was the ‘don’t recall this film being out at the cinema, let’s give it a go’ choice during a recent 11 hour flight.A Clint Eastwood film and I missed it? Not that he’s on my list of absolute must-see actors but Sir Clint (as he would have been had he been a Brit) sure adds something to any project he works on, whether behind the scenes or in front. I read it’s his first acting-only film since Grand Torino which I loved back in 2008.Eastwood plays a should-have-been-retired-but-has-nothing-else-to-do baseball scout (in America, obviously) trying to save his job against the next generation(s) of scouts who successfully use technology as part of their talent seeking process. He sets off on the road on another scouting mission but this time his, for the best part, estranged daughter tags along to ensure he is OK. This  on the insistence of his friend and boss (John Goodman, another reason to always watch a film). So in effect, it’s road film with the sports element thrown in. Will he have one more shot at finding a superstar ball player or will he have to admit defeat to the modern methods?I enjoyed it. It’s a good plane movie in that it transfers fine to the smallest of screens (I haven’t yet succumbed to watching films on my phone) without taking away from the narrative.7½/10Smile factor 8/10