I was motivated primarily by curiosity.

A long-time fan of Clint Eastwood, I looked forward to seeing the octogenarian perform in a film he had not directed. And after his antics at the Republican convention, I also wanted to restore my faith in his acting abilities.

While I was not enthralled with Eastwood’s portrayal of Gus Lobel, an aging baseball scout who is losing his sight, I did enjoy this plodding but pleasant film. Justin Timberlake lit up the screen with his good looks and charm as he played the part of Johnny, a former pitcher who now scouts for the Boston Red Sox. But the real star of the film is Amy Adams, who plays Mickey, Lobel’s workaholic daughter.

After Lobel’s boss (John Goodman) learns that the Atlanta Braves want to get rid of the cantankerous old man, he calls Mickey and asks her to spend a few days helping Gus out in North Carolina. Father and daughter have their issues: Gus refuses to talk about the past while Mickey still resents him for leaving her with relatives after her mother’s death. In the romantic subplot, Johnny and Mickey spar with each other.

Safe…easy-going…predictable….I agree with the critics.