The Eephus Effect: A Slow-paced Comedy with a Curveball Plot

The title of Carson Lund’s ironic independent film is full of allusions to the game at the heart of the plot, which are a treat for baseball fans but more of a mystery for the rest of the potential audience. To explain: an Eephus pitch is a throw with a particularly high arc but relatively slow, which is intended to surprise the batter. An extremely clear metaphor for the tragicomic feature film debut, the pace of which the director and his co-screenwriters Michael Basta and Nate Fisher keep to a minimum.

The latter is so much the case that the events on and around the public playing field, on which the two teams from a sleepy little town in New England compete, take on an almost meditative slowness. It could be Zen, but on screen it is rather soporific. Even for fans of the sport, which is played in amateur leagues without any significant dramatic fall-off. For the men – and only men in a plot with practically no female characters – there is literally nothing at stake.

This is the last one on the (stage)ground to which the action is limited. The stadium, martially named Soldier’s Field, is to be demolished the next day. But the sketchy story does not reveal any social or economic implications of this step. Rather, the change seems to be a step forward: a school is to be built on the same site. And hopefully not only middle-class cis types will be allowed to go there… But it’s not just for them that it’s all about the ball.

Conclusion

The humorous debut feature film is far from the great cinematic achievement suggested by the title of Carson Lund’s quirky sports comedy. The development process, which players and spectators discuss, is neither tragic nor controversial. There is no interpersonal or dramatic dynamism. The amateurish baseball game, which drags on absurdly, is also irrelevant in terms of acting and sport. However, Beckettian absurdity is absent. The only glimmer of humor is a Yogi Berra quote: “The future ain’t what it used to be”. So what?

Criticism: Lida Bach

2024-05-24 12:30:02
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