Can a Man Love His Lady Like the Red Sox?

As a member of a passionate Yankee family, I was initially uncertain about whether or not I would be able to sit through Fever Pitch—the new Farrelly brothers movie about the Boston Red Sox. But after seeing a preview with one of my favorite Saturday Night Live veterans, Jimmy Fallon, I decided that I could try to put aside my team loyalties.

It quickly became clear that no matter what team gets your heart racing, there is something special about this movie. Fever Pitch is not just a story about the Red Sox. It is about having a passion, and believing in something both in the good times and the bad. Although it is a romantic comedy, it has deep undercurrents that explore serious issues. And it is in the midst of these explorations that humor continually surfaces, allowing for an emotionally intelligent film that nonetheless sticks to its light-hearted genre.

The film’s protagonist, Ben (Jimmy Fallon), is a die-hard Red Sox fan, which is immediately apparent from an apartment decorated entirely in Red Sox paraphernalia.

But when he is not a full-time fan, he is a ninth grade geometry teacher. He meets Lindsay (Drew Barrymore), a financial consultant, when he takes his top students to visit her at work for a career-day field trip. After some encouragement from his students that includes the line “glance to the pants,” he gets the courage to ask her out—without the kids. The relationship soon takes off, but only because it is the off-season.

The pairing of Fallon with Barrymore is an excellent one. It is clear that both have matured as actors, especially Barrymore, resulting in well-developed characters. But just as the relationship becomes serious, season tickets arrive, unleashing the beast.

Ben then turns down a trip to visit Lindsay’s family because it coincides with spring training. It is at this moment that Ben shows a hint of his love for the game and the fever that will overtake him in the summer. The scene shifts gears, quickly returning to comedy, when Ben gets down on one knee, prompting Lindsay to believe he will propose—only to see Ben whip out tickets to opening day, the ultimate diamond ring for any baseball fan.

As soon as the season starts, the push and pull of the game, and of love, begins. For the first time, Ben has a dilemma, as true love approaches the intensity of his infatuation with the Red Sox. But this particular problem can be viewed as representative of a conflict so many relationships face: having to balance your past with the present, as well as with realistic hopes for the future.

Ultimately, Fever Pitch teaches us that whether we keep track of wins and losses for the Yankees or the Red Sox, the important thing in life is maintaining a passion that always includes loved ones.