This small movie is about the relationship between a grumpy, growling, aging baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves, Gus (Clint Eastwood), and his lawyer-daughter Mickey (Amy Adams). When Gus’ friend Pete (John Goodman) alerts Mickey to Gus’ eyesight problems, she joins her dad to scout players in North Carolina, jeopardizing her promotion to partner at her law firm.
Father and daughter spar, but they love each other—and the game—even though Mickey, named for Mickey Mantle, has abandonment issues. When Mickey was 6, her mother died, and Gus sent her to live with relatives for a year and then to boarding school.
One of Gus’ protégés, Johnny (Justin Timberlake), is retired because of injuries and is now a scout for the Boston Red Sox. He arrives at the local ballpark because all the teams are looking at a promising player. Johnny finds himself attracted to Mickey, who
Click here to continue reading my Reel Talk column at St. Anthony Messenger magazine.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In