Fever Pitch- DVD Review

A love triangle between a man, a woman, and a baseball team, Fever Pitch was one of those releases that didn't quite live up to its potential at the box office but is likely to find a devoted audience at home, even outside of Boston.

Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore have an easy chemistry together in the most traditional romantic comedy in the Farrelly Brothers career. Essentially about how two people have to shift their own lives to make one together, Fever Pitch is a deceptively light on its feet comedy, somewhat forgettable but always enjoyable while you're watching it. If you're looking for light fun, nothing too maudlin or overdone, you'll be pleasantly surprised by Fever Pitch, the film that proves Jimmy Fallon's success on SNL wasn't a fluke. If he can find more roles like this one, he could break out of the box like so many SNL-ers before him.

The DVD for Fever Pitch, available in three different forms - fullscreen, widescreen, and the "Boston Red Sox Collector's Edition" with an exclusive extended ending - is about as complete a look at the film as fans could hope for. A dozen-plus-one deleted scenes are actually one of the bigger treats, as some of them, particularly an extended look at how this Red Sox junkie was created, are quite funny and enjoyable. The only thing missing is a commentary or introduction from the Farrellys with insight into why they were cut. Most deleted scenes on other DVDs were correctly cut from the theatrical edition but FP may be one of those rare situations where the wrong choice was made. The real catch on the DVD is the commentary track with the brothers themselves. They have such an easy-going charm, giving you all the trivia and information you need. They're massively in love with their own film and stars, which can be a little annoying, but that's better than the opposite. It's fun to hear well-spoken people so in love what they're talking about that they might make you fall in love with it too.

After the commentary and the deleted scenes, some of the other extras start to feel repetitive. A gag reel with Jimmy being silly, a few featurettes about the film, and a making the scene doc about the quickly-rewritten end of the film fill out the DVD. When the Sox started to win last year, the Farrellys and their producers had to scramble to rewrite the end. The lovable losers were suddenly winners. The film proves that they pulled it off and the 10 minute featurette about the final scenes shows you how.

Fever Pitch will probably play in Boston theaters long after we're gone. But fans outside of Boston can enjoy the film just as much as die hard Red Sox junkies (OK, maybe "almost" as much). Fever Pitch is a film for anyone that's ever had an obsession. Plug your object of desire - a different sports team, a movie, a band, a beanie baby, whatever - into Fallon's and you'll enjoy the film. In other words, don't be scared away by the baseball angle or even the romantic comedy angle, Fever Pitch works on many levels. And, in the end, it just works as a simple good time, something not every romantic comedy can claim.