'Fever' pitches frat-boy humor, romance

Reel Reflections

The Farrelly Brothers ("There's Something About Mary") have built up a unique body of work — one might even think of them as the poets laureate of frat-boy humor. Given their penchant for the profane, their latest film, "Fever Pitch" comes off as a sweet and sincere work. Of course, there are one or two jokes involving bodily fluids, but even Jimmy Fallon's tending to a vomiting Drew Barrymore comes off as touching in its own gross way.

The romantic comedy revolves around the relationship of two apparent opposites. Ben (Jimmy Fallon, "Taxi") is a schoolteacher and so obsessive about the Boston Red Sox that he uses NY Yankee toilet paper. Drew Barrymore ("Charlie's Angels") is Lindsey, a high-strung, ambitious business consultant who has never heard the phrase "Curse of the Bambino." The affair goes swimmingly at first, but Lindsey soon realizes that Ben is a "manboy" with a closet full of Sox jerseys and a reluctance to miss even a single swing.

In his first leading role, "Saturday Night Live" alum Fallon is appealing and funny with a twitchy, fumbling charm. Barrymore cuts back on her trademark goofball allure to play a different kind of role and create a rich portrait of a woman whose love pushes her further than she thought it possible to go.

The film's script (based on the novel by Nick Hornby of "High Fidelity" fame) is often witty, and the direction of the Farrelly brothers is quite sharp. They have crafted a film that thoughtfully explores the fouls of love, its limitations and compromises. The good parts of "Fever Pitch," however, make its flaws all the more unfortunate.

At times, "Fever Pitch" doesn't seem to trust itself and falls back onto the safety net of cliché. Some of the comedy routines seem to have been lifted from an old "SNL" episode, and say more for Fallon the Comedian than for Fallon the Actor. There are a few too many rom-com staples — the gaggle of nosy best friends, precocious children or well-meaning but slightly ridiculous family members. Also, the ending goes for the obvious and presents it in a trite way; the last ten minutes of the film unfold with the surety of a homerun hitter running from first base to second.

Yet, if Fever Pitch isn't completely successful, its heartfelt humor proves ultimately winning.

"Fever Pitch"
Starring: Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rated: PG-13
Three and a half out of Five Paws