The Scout

Sent on a route through the deepest parts of Mexico because of a big screw-up, New York Yankees talent scout, Brooks, finds the pitcher of the century in Fraser: a top-notch pitcher and a very good hitter, too. The only problem is that Fraser has the mind of a pre-adolescent teen, whose goals are simple, but his temper and emotional needs get in the way.

The movie has a good premise, and the stars of the baseball diamond appear in many cameos (including Yankees mogul Steinbrenner) have a nice touch. The actors try to do a good job, but they just don't pull this movie off. There is no "believability" to it! I just don't buy it!

The only good scene where Fraser demonstrates his child-like anger is when he tells the photographer to, "stop taking pictures of me...weren't the first thirty-four enough?" His emotional attachment to Brooks is found early on, but the therapist's theory of "possible homocidal tendencies" towards Brooks is not brought out enough in the movie. There is no substance to this film. If you're a Fraser fan, you might enjoy this film, but I found little else of any value and no credibility in this film.

BRENDAN FRASER seems to specialize in playing dumb--or at least that's the impression I had after watching him emote as a child-like baseball player who happens to have a great pitching arm in THE SCOUT. He does get laughs with his dumb act, so I suppose that's why he was chosen for this particular role.

But most of the laughs come from the fact that ALBERT BROOKS is his co-star, a man who can say a funny line without ever giving a hint that he thinks it's funny. And sometimes, the result is hilarious--particularly in the "knife" scene in which Brooks is trying to hide all his kitchen knives from Fraser who "wants to cut something".

None of the humor is particularly subtle, but DIANNE WIEST is a welcome addition as Dr. Aarons, the psychiatrist who determines that Fraser might have his dangerous moments after subjecting him to a series of tests with photos. But the baseball scenes at the finish are too over-the-top, straining credulity to the limits.

The Tony Bennett nightclub sequence is also guaranteed to have you squirming in discomfort as Fraser sings an off-key version of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", much to Bennett's chagrin.

Summing up: With a wittier script and a different approach, could have been a very winning comedy.

I like good baseball movies - the Natural, Field of Dreams, the Sandlot, Pride of the Yankees, etc. But I hate this movie because I can't tell if this is supposed to be a comedy or a drama. It seems like neither. Also, the baseball scout, played by Albert Brooks, seems more out of touch with reality than the troubled Brendan Fraser character. I can't stand Brooks in this movie. i am usually more of a glass-half-full type of person when I evaluate movies, but I can't believe some of the favorable comments for The Scout. You have to be kidding? I can't believe that Bob Costas and Tim McCarver, both with well-respected baseball reputations, would agree to be part of the absurd ending. I know it's a movie, but as someone who loves baseball, the final scene is a complete insult to the game...and the movie business.

This is an endearing comedy which, as a Brit who knows precious little about baseball, I enjoyed a lot. The main reason is the performance of Brendan Fraser as the emotionally immature prodigy, Steve Nebraska. There are elements of his later role as George Of The Jungle here, although George was never this vulnerable or unpredictable. Dianne Wiest makes for a sympathetic psychiatrist and Albert Brooks is an affable rogue of a talent scout.

"The Scout" is an underrated comedy, which though never quite hitting the heights gives good value in the funny-sentimental entertainment stakes and benefits from two excellent performances (Albert Brooks - in a role "Seinfeld"'s Jason Alexander would probably over-play on television - and Brendan Fraser). The hidden depths of the film - the young player's childhood "abuse" for instance - remain hidden (the movie seems shy about going there) but as old-style, far-fetched shtick the picture works very nicely.