For all its occasional tin ear, Dr Phil dialogue, its contrivances and shortcuts, this remains a fundamentally sound and solid entertainment with a deep-rooted conviction that how we treat each other matters.

The good news is that Eastwood does his thing to perfection, Adams provides the spunky cuteness, and Timberlake couldn't scrub his eager charm off with a Brillo pad if he tried.

John Goodman weighs in with a nice cameo as Clint's old boss, but the rest is strictly relegation form.

"Trouble with the Curve" is good fall entertainment for those who aren't looking for a big challenge and like old-school baseball over the statistic-heavy "Moneyball."