DALLAS, Sep 23, 2012/ — “TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE is a story about how we deal with what life throws at us,” describes director/producer Robert Lorenz. “It has characters in whom we can all see a bit of ourselves, reaching those moments in life when we are faced with re-evaluating priorities: the importance we put on our careers, our friendships and our family.”
At the center of the story are a father and daughter whose lives have taken them in opposite directions. Even when they’re together, they are worlds apart. But now, circumstances are forcing them to face their differences on common ground.
“In any family, even when things get tough, there are always ties that connect you,” says the film’s star and producer Clint Eastwood. “You just have to find a starting point to begin to close the gap.”
While Lorenz is an award-winning producer, the film marks his directorial debut. The former assistant director, who segued into producing Eastwood’s movies, says he always intended to direct. “It was just a matter of finding the right project at the right time,” Lorenz states.
Eastwood plays Gus Lobel, a man nearing the end of a long career who is too proud, or too stubborn, to reveal the secret that his eyes are no longer as sharp as his instincts. And while those closest to him aren’t exactly sure what’s wrong, they know that something is—something that, for his daughter, Mickey, is worth dropping everything for. Even if she’s going to have to fight him every step of the way.
Lorenz adds, “In any other relationship, Mickey showing up to help, even if it’s unexpected, would be a good thing. But Gus just can’t see it that way.”
Amy Adams, who plays the role of Mickey, says that there’s universality to Mickey’s feelings about her dad. “Daughters always want the approval of their fathers. So, naturally, Mickey wants Gus’s attention; she wants him to be proud of her, but he, like many dads, has a hard time conveying that. Over time, she’s built up a wall and things between them have become contentious, to say the least.”
That wall has extended to her love life as well, and that, combined with her long work hours, have made it hard for Mickey to take romantic associations to the next level. However, her initial disinterest doesn’t discourage Johnny Flanagan, who finds himself immediately attracted to her. Like both Gus and Mickey, the former baseball player is in a transitional phase of life.
Justin Timberlake portrays the ex-pitcher, and loved how interwoven the relationships were. “In a twist of fate, Gus had scouted Johnny when he was a high school phenom. Now, having blown out his arm pretty early in his career, he’s trying his hand at scouting, which is how he comes in contact with Gus again…and where he meets Mickey.”
Photos courtesy of Warner Brothers
