I had been anticipating the release of Fever Pitch since last December. The reason being, I was in Niagara Falls by myself on a road trip to New York City and happened to run into the filming of this movie. December 1st, the day I met Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, happened to be the final day of shooting. I even stood in a group of spectators waiting to be picked to be extras in the one scene they were filming, but alas, I must not have been “photogenic” enough.

The story begins with the meeting of Ben (Fallon) and Lindsey (Barrymore). Ben is a geometry teacher bringing his students on a field trip to Lindsey’s office. She is a high-powered businesswoman on the rise with her firm. She has admittedly sacrificed her love life for a successful career, and Ben seems like someone who is totally wrong for her. But she gives his him a chance and agrees to go out with him.

Their relationship is going rather well, until baseball season begins. Ben loves baseball. Not just the way that most American guys love baseball, but in a fanatical way that overshadows every aspect of his life. A season-ticket holder for life, he inherited the excellent seats from an uncle who took him to every game as a child. He revels in the history of the Sox, not in a drunk, screaming and swearing way, but in an admirable and respectful way. He not only loves the Sox, he loves Fenway Park, the other die-hard fans, and the somewhat depressing history that the Sox have had since the Babe was traded. I suppose many Bostonians can greatly relate to Ben. Lindsey does not.

As we all know, the 2004 Red Sox season turned out to go against the 86-year curse that had been expected to continue. Boston actually won! And as that occurred, the script had to be rewritten on the spot as the cast and crew filmed at every playoff game, right up until the World Series. This, in my opinion, made for a better movie. The climax of the film lines up evenly with the climax of the real-life Boston victory.

Fever Pitch is not a laugh-a-minute gross-out fest that many of the Farrelly Brothers films have been (There’s Something About Mary, Shallow Hal). In fact, the movie is more of a Nora Ephron-style romantic comedy. As for the acting, both Barrymore and Fallon are very believable. Fallon does much better as a lead than he did last year in Taxi. I can “buy” him as this character. Barrymore is maturing, too. Going from the giggling childish characters she normally plays, to a stability-seeking thirtysomething.

Fallon and Barrymore have the kind of chemistry that moviemakers kill to create. Fallon may be the only actor more compatible with Barrymore than Adam Sandler. As Sandler seems to be broadening his acting roles and even delving into dramatic parts, Fallon seems eager to take his place as the goofy, but lovable leading man. I can’t wait to see these two matched up again.

Greg can be reached at hummel@detroitbuzz.com.

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