In the romantic comedy Fever Pitch, a Red Sox fanatic named Mr. Sehgal runs a deli and supplies cold cuts for the other fans. Older and bespectacled, he’s treated well and gets one onomatopoetic line, which he still flubs endearingly in an uncle-like way. He doesn’t seem like a professional actor, but Jimmy Fallon gets his name right.
Fever Pitch has the same problem as Kingdom of Heaven — when did they stop casting men and start casting boys? Pretty though they may be, they can’t carry a movie. But Drew’s leaner Barrymore profile is shaping up like Renee Russo, and she still casts charm like few others. The movie’s flat, with no romantic chemistry between the leads. But it’s surprisingly sweet, probably because Mr. About a Boy wrote the book on which it’s based.
The Red Sox may have won last year, but the Yanks just pinched Manchester United. It’s a feat just as improbable, and probably more relevant to Hornby’s memoir about soccer.
