The cover of the video is COMPLETELY misleading. I must admit that I never expected a film about a football fan to be either interesting or in-depth. I was surprised to find its US release under "New Arrivals" at my video store, and being a fan of Firth, I decided to give it a try. It's a very human story, and it is well-done. Nick Hornby's script is excellent, and he actually managed to pull me, a non-rabid fan of football, into understanding a little of what his character was going through. The inclusion of the childhood scenes was great for setting up why the character is still human, though he initially appears insane when taken in the greater context of human existence. He was portrayed very effectively by Firth, whose previous stand-out performance as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice" contrasts so sharply with the character that he plays in this film that I found myself almost cringing at the immaturity and madness portrayed by him...until the character grew on me and I felt more than just pity for him. Ruth Gemmell did a fine job of portraying Sarah, a woman who was frustratingly in love with a man who loved a sport. I liked watching the growth of both of their characters throughout the film. The thing that struck me about this film was the reality and "humanness" of it. I could see such a thing happening in actual life, and I appreciated the portrayal of the everyday struggles of learning to refocus your priorities and commit to loving someone.
74 Reviews
Among the best soccer movies ever made.
ckgibbs30 December 2000
Late in 1999, this film finally became available in the US. If you are a soccer fan (or a fanatic of any sport), you will relate to this movie. This is an autobiographical book by Nick Hornby, a long-time Arsenal fan, who also did the screenplay. Incidently, the book is considered one of the best soccer books ever written. For those who liked High Fidelity, a book also written by Nick Hornby, and reset in Chicago, they will enjoy the romance of Fever Pitch, the movie. Colin Firth from Shakespeare in Love is excellent.
On the surface, a film about The Arsenals and their fans, but REALLY about clinging to the one thing that binds you to a lost parent.
countryway_4886428 May 2002
Fever Pitch may not be a great film, but it is certainly a wonderful, charming, pitch-perfect film.
On the surface, it is the story of a Peter/Pan who can't give up his obsession for a local Football Team.
The man in question, (an incredibly handsome Colin Firth), is a teacher of English at the high-school level. The teacher next door is a lovely young woman with the knick-name of "iron britches". Of course the predictable happens.
What is unpredictable is the painful growth of Colin's character, and his slow progress in being able to give up his team just enough to make room for an even greater and more important love, the teacher next door.
What I love best about this film is that Colin Firth here is NOT Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy would NEVER let his Lizzie see him in his Fire Engine RED and white Arsenal Boxer Shorts!
Here Mr. Firth is rough-edged and scruffy. A man who prefers to hang out with his mates drinking beer and holding a fatalistic view that his beloved Arsenal will NEVER win the Championship.
The charm of the film lies in the growth of this man/child and the patience and understanding of the woman who loves him and their slow but certain progress from attraction to real, lasting LOVE!
See it!! I happen to love soccer. All my children played it and now my grandchildren play it. I believe the rules are different for British Football, but those difference didn't take away from the thrill of watching Arsenal in action!
Any golf,football or baseball "widow" will understand and love this film!
On the surface, it is the story of a Peter/Pan who can't give up his obsession for a local Football Team.
The man in question, (an incredibly handsome Colin Firth), is a teacher of English at the high-school level. The teacher next door is a lovely young woman with the knick-name of "iron britches". Of course the predictable happens.
What is unpredictable is the painful growth of Colin's character, and his slow progress in being able to give up his team just enough to make room for an even greater and more important love, the teacher next door.
What I love best about this film is that Colin Firth here is NOT Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy would NEVER let his Lizzie see him in his Fire Engine RED and white Arsenal Boxer Shorts!
Here Mr. Firth is rough-edged and scruffy. A man who prefers to hang out with his mates drinking beer and holding a fatalistic view that his beloved Arsenal will NEVER win the Championship.
The charm of the film lies in the growth of this man/child and the patience and understanding of the woman who loves him and their slow but certain progress from attraction to real, lasting LOVE!
See it!! I happen to love soccer. All my children played it and now my grandchildren play it. I believe the rules are different for British Football, but those difference didn't take away from the thrill of watching Arsenal in action!
Any golf,football or baseball "widow" will understand and love this film!
A Winner for Nick Hornby and Colin Firth
avabetalon8 April 2004
Nick Hornby strikes again! I watched this movie for Colin Firth, and enjoyed it as a fan and as a discriminating viewer. The script is excellent, particularly the dialogue (particularly in one delightful restaurant scene). I found the acting and craftsmanship satisfactory - be warned that dialogue can be quiet, so listen hard through the accents. The film is delightfully British, so I highly recommend it for Anglophiles, and as Nick Hornby knows how to do, it is a nice mix of the ludicrous and the thoughtful. The relationship the movie centers around is really interesting to follow. We wonder what makes it tick, but Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmell seem comfortable together, so it isn't unbelievable at all. I wasn't expecting "Fever Pitch" to be so good, but I find that I recommend it highly.
Very Enjoyable
films4221 February 2002
I stumbled upon this film playing on cable one afternoon & much to my own surprise, I was hooked. It's very well done & very enjoyable, even for those of us who have no clue about sports in general, much less the details of British soccer championships. Only when the credits came up @ the end, did I know that Nick Hornsby of HIGH FIDELITY fame was behind it. I patted myself on the back for letting my own good judgment overcome any snobbish preconceptions. (Of course the initial hook was seeing Colin Firth's face on the screen. The guy definitely has under-used leading man potential!!!) Jan
Has some interest, though it can't hold a candle to the book
Andy-29623 November 2014
Some years ago I read (and liked) the book "Fever Pitch" by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy), which was a collection of autobiographical anecdotes about his long lasting support of Arsenal, from 1968 when he become a fan until 1989, the year the Gunners won the First Division after almost 20 years.
The movie decides to eschew the book approach and fictionalizes the story as a sort of romantic comedy in which supposed opposites attract. It's 1989, and Colin Firth is Paul (Hornby's alter ego) a teacher at a school in London, and the movie is about his burgeoning romance with Sarah Hughes (Ruth Gemmell), a new teacher at the school. As their relationship develops, Paul seems sometimes more concerned about Arsenal's standing in the championship and the increasing likelihood that it will finally win the league. This to the dismay of Sarah, who hates football and is very uptight. Intercalated with these scenes, we see Paul as a young kid in the late 1960s, his relationship with his divorced father, and how he initially become an Arsenal fan.
One problem with the movie is that we never know what Sarah saw in Paul, since she is critical of him from the start (the first time they talk in the movie, she protests the noise his students are making in the classroom next to her own class). Their chemistry is basically zero. Of course, this is not the fault of either Firth or Gemmell (their acting is fine). It's the script that in my view took a wrong approach.
The movie decides to eschew the book approach and fictionalizes the story as a sort of romantic comedy in which supposed opposites attract. It's 1989, and Colin Firth is Paul (Hornby's alter ego) a teacher at a school in London, and the movie is about his burgeoning romance with Sarah Hughes (Ruth Gemmell), a new teacher at the school. As their relationship develops, Paul seems sometimes more concerned about Arsenal's standing in the championship and the increasing likelihood that it will finally win the league. This to the dismay of Sarah, who hates football and is very uptight. Intercalated with these scenes, we see Paul as a young kid in the late 1960s, his relationship with his divorced father, and how he initially become an Arsenal fan.
One problem with the movie is that we never know what Sarah saw in Paul, since she is critical of him from the start (the first time they talk in the movie, she protests the noise his students are making in the classroom next to her own class). Their chemistry is basically zero. Of course, this is not the fault of either Firth or Gemmell (their acting is fine). It's the script that in my view took a wrong approach.
Review: Fever Pitch (1997)
FLASHP01NT22 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
One of the sweetest and most kind-hearted films I've ever seen. Fever Pitch (1997) isn't a tear-jerker; it's more sentimental and reflective. Fever Pitch isn't about football, it's about faith and community.
In flashbacks, we see how Paul's love of football, in childhood, changed his family dynamic by allowing his previously distant sister and mother to participate in his passion and share his enthusiasm. Football made the house a happier home. Paul's unwavering faith in his team (Arsenal F. C.) extends to every part of his life and directly effects the people around him.
As an adult, Paul teaches English and coaches football. All of his students like him. When Sarah is hired as a new math teacher they quickly become a couple, but Sarah's lack of faith in Paul spotlights the driving point of the film. There's no reason why Sarah should be so critical and unsupportive of Paul. The hinted motivation for Sarah's frustration with Paul is jealousy: It's clear Paul's popularity and status in the community intimidate her. Now, as a couple, Sarah must compete with football for Paul's attention and she tries to argue Paul into submission.
Sarah's disrespect and belittling of Paul's passion for football continues until it de-facto ends their relationship. Sarah then spends her days isolated, reconsidering her criticisms of Paul. Finally, when Sarah's students show appreciation for her by giving her a gift, they compare her mannered teaching style to the famous Arsenal football manager George Graham who "pushes hard but get's results". Touched and honored by this comparison, Sarah realizes she over-reacted with Paul and quickly runs back to him. It's obvious her decision to stay with Paul is the correct one. Everyone who is shown to share Paul's love of football has a fun and happy relationship with him. In the final shot of the film Paul and Sarah are seen walking home, enjoying each others company.
The camera-work in Fever Pitch is smooth, which helps to keep the scenes interesting. The whole film is a great snapshot of the 90's. The overall tone is spunky while maintaining a realistic and grassroots through-line. The casting is perfect, with all of the performances feeling true to life, even the kids. The dialogue, however, is the #1 standout: you can tell peoples arguments are pulled from real conversations. Fever Pitch is a pleasant watch for anyone who enjoys up-beat romance and/or comedy.
In flashbacks, we see how Paul's love of football, in childhood, changed his family dynamic by allowing his previously distant sister and mother to participate in his passion and share his enthusiasm. Football made the house a happier home. Paul's unwavering faith in his team (Arsenal F. C.) extends to every part of his life and directly effects the people around him.
As an adult, Paul teaches English and coaches football. All of his students like him. When Sarah is hired as a new math teacher they quickly become a couple, but Sarah's lack of faith in Paul spotlights the driving point of the film. There's no reason why Sarah should be so critical and unsupportive of Paul. The hinted motivation for Sarah's frustration with Paul is jealousy: It's clear Paul's popularity and status in the community intimidate her. Now, as a couple, Sarah must compete with football for Paul's attention and she tries to argue Paul into submission.
Sarah's disrespect and belittling of Paul's passion for football continues until it de-facto ends their relationship. Sarah then spends her days isolated, reconsidering her criticisms of Paul. Finally, when Sarah's students show appreciation for her by giving her a gift, they compare her mannered teaching style to the famous Arsenal football manager George Graham who "pushes hard but get's results". Touched and honored by this comparison, Sarah realizes she over-reacted with Paul and quickly runs back to him. It's obvious her decision to stay with Paul is the correct one. Everyone who is shown to share Paul's love of football has a fun and happy relationship with him. In the final shot of the film Paul and Sarah are seen walking home, enjoying each others company.
The camera-work in Fever Pitch is smooth, which helps to keep the scenes interesting. The whole film is a great snapshot of the 90's. The overall tone is spunky while maintaining a realistic and grassroots through-line. The casting is perfect, with all of the performances feeling true to life, even the kids. The dialogue, however, is the #1 standout: you can tell peoples arguments are pulled from real conversations. Fever Pitch is a pleasant watch for anyone who enjoys up-beat romance and/or comedy.
I Thought It Was OK
Mr_Sensitive14 September 2011
I like Nick Hornby from About a Boy, though I didn't quite enjoy An Education but being a Gooner, I decided to get a glimpse at this movie– the result wasn't live up to what I was hope for.
Most people here called it "the best football movie ever made" – I wouldn't disagree with them but for me, I rather find it so-so. Maybe with all the hype it got me too much hope. Or maybe seeing this movie after 14 years of it release isn't quite doing the trick. Anyway let talk about movie The movie itself is quite slow but it compensate with great essence of football, the fan – the crowd – the spirit is all there throughout the whole film. But the romantic part wasn't what was I hope for. I somehow find it a bit too boring.
The casting and acting was probably the best part of this movie and it work great, but that doesn't help the movie. The set was boring but you still the glimpse of the old Highbury and that can bring back memories. Having a little knowledge of 80' and Arsenal legend would help you understand great deal.
Anyway I can't really recommend this movie to everyone since it is heavily base on the love for this game. If you want to see it, there quite a lot of things one need to know about this game and its fan.
Rating: 5.5/10 (Grade: C)
Most people here called it "the best football movie ever made" – I wouldn't disagree with them but for me, I rather find it so-so. Maybe with all the hype it got me too much hope. Or maybe seeing this movie after 14 years of it release isn't quite doing the trick. Anyway let talk about movie The movie itself is quite slow but it compensate with great essence of football, the fan – the crowd – the spirit is all there throughout the whole film. But the romantic part wasn't what was I hope for. I somehow find it a bit too boring.
The casting and acting was probably the best part of this movie and it work great, but that doesn't help the movie. The set was boring but you still the glimpse of the old Highbury and that can bring back memories. Having a little knowledge of 80' and Arsenal legend would help you understand great deal.
Anyway I can't really recommend this movie to everyone since it is heavily base on the love for this game. If you want to see it, there quite a lot of things one need to know about this game and its fan.
Rating: 5.5/10 (Grade: C)
A most personal film
malcolmgsw25 May 2005
For me this is one of the most personal films ever made.I was at all of the games at Highbury shown in the film.The celebrations take place outside the entrance to the West Stand where i have been entering for the past 45 years.The school at which Colin Firth is teaching was my school.I even saw it in the Odeon Muswell Hill which is just one minute from the school,and of course that night.who will ever forget that night.I remember it so vividly as if it happened yesterday.To me the sheer brilliance of the book and the film is that Hornby manages to bring to life the dreams we live together.It doesn't matter if you support Arsenal or any other team the dreams are just the same.I was in a local book shop the other day when i saw a later version of the book.I sat down and read the new pages and they were as real to me as if i had been sitting next to Hornby at the time that he wrote them.
Unlikable characters, underdeveloped story, disappointing film
raindoggy12 December 2005
I've liked other movies based on Nick Hornby books (High Fidelity, About a Boy). I saw the American "Fever Pitch" before I discovered it was a Nick Hornby story, and I thought that movie was pretty tepid, so I got the British version starring Colin Firth. I thought I would be in for a treat, but the movie was seriously lacking.
I mainly felt that the two main characters were both thoroughly unlikable. I could not see any reason why these two people fell in love. We were given few (I'm hard pressed to remember even one) scene in which they were not bickering, nagging or generally disrespecting each other. There was no chemistry between the two of them, and neither character's personality seemed to benefit from contact with the other person. It seemed absolutely false to me. Paul seemed to have no capacity to enjoy life at all, even when Arsenal was doing well. Sarah ceaselessly nagged Paul about aspects of his personality that she was well aware of before they got together. They were both uninteresting and charmless. I normally like Colin Firth, but his big soulful eyes were not enough to carry this character.
It also felt as though the movie had been cut down from a longer runtime. There were awkward progressions from scene to scene and elements that were partially developed, then abandoned. In a montage near the end, Paul and Sarah are seen frolicking together, but it happens in the midst of a time when they are separated. Indeed, the very next time Paul encounters Sarah at school, he coldly greets her with a perfunctory "Ms. Hughes." It doesn't make sense.
The film cheaps out on the football action - I can't think of a single shot of pro football that was filmed for this movie. The only time we see actual football (apart from the kids games and an amateur match) are on TV. There were times when I expected the camera to cut to the on-field action, but it never did. The net result is that the movie feels cheap and under-imagined.
Hornby is credited with writing the screenplay for this film, and I don't think he did a particularly good job of adapting his talents to the medium. I also think the directing was mediocre. A good director could have helped the production overcome the problems this film suffers from, but the direction here seemed limited to a workmanlike effort to cover the action and nothing more.
I guess I'll have to read the book to get a good experience with this story. This film is seriously disappointing.
I mainly felt that the two main characters were both thoroughly unlikable. I could not see any reason why these two people fell in love. We were given few (I'm hard pressed to remember even one) scene in which they were not bickering, nagging or generally disrespecting each other. There was no chemistry between the two of them, and neither character's personality seemed to benefit from contact with the other person. It seemed absolutely false to me. Paul seemed to have no capacity to enjoy life at all, even when Arsenal was doing well. Sarah ceaselessly nagged Paul about aspects of his personality that she was well aware of before they got together. They were both uninteresting and charmless. I normally like Colin Firth, but his big soulful eyes were not enough to carry this character.
It also felt as though the movie had been cut down from a longer runtime. There were awkward progressions from scene to scene and elements that were partially developed, then abandoned. In a montage near the end, Paul and Sarah are seen frolicking together, but it happens in the midst of a time when they are separated. Indeed, the very next time Paul encounters Sarah at school, he coldly greets her with a perfunctory "Ms. Hughes." It doesn't make sense.
The film cheaps out on the football action - I can't think of a single shot of pro football that was filmed for this movie. The only time we see actual football (apart from the kids games and an amateur match) are on TV. There were times when I expected the camera to cut to the on-field action, but it never did. The net result is that the movie feels cheap and under-imagined.
Hornby is credited with writing the screenplay for this film, and I don't think he did a particularly good job of adapting his talents to the medium. I also think the directing was mediocre. A good director could have helped the production overcome the problems this film suffers from, but the direction here seemed limited to a workmanlike effort to cover the action and nothing more.
I guess I'll have to read the book to get a good experience with this story. This film is seriously disappointing.
How to film a novel
jshoaf30 September 2007
I am a middle-aged American woman who has never seen a soccer game and has never seen any kind of live sports game all the way through beyond Little League (3 brothers, 1 son). I live in a town where football is the main local religion. Nick Hornby's novel was a delight to read and really gave me some sense of the psychology as well as the anthropology of being a fan. I rented the movie because I wanted to SEE the novel: the stadium, the terraces, the colors, the craziness Hornby describes. Youtube and Wikipedia could tell me some about Alan Smith, Highbury, the Hillsborough tragedy, but not enough. The movie came through. Actual footage of games and scenes inside the stadium gave a powerful sense of what it's all about. The final sequence, in which various characters Paul's fandom has touched watch a championship game, was wonderfully moving. The plot has three characters--Paul the young fan, Paul the adult fan, and Sarah the outsider who is repelled by the irrationality, the loud and sweary masculinity of it all. The plot exists to allow Paul to expose, stubbornly as a child and articulately as an adult, what it means to be a fan. Sarah is there to force him into talking and thinking a bit about it. Both Pauls are marvelous. Colin Firth is amazing. His physical attractiveness is essential to the plot--it gets him into Sarah's bed so they can start talking about Arsenal-- and that simple fact leaves him huge amounts of room to be boyish, goofy, moody, clueless, innocent, and cruel.
It is ok..
smakawhat16 July 2001
Based on Nick Hornby's novel of the same name, Fever Pitch follows the life of a fanatic football fan and public school teacher. Ever since he was a young lad Paul has worshipped 'Arsenal' in England, and the movie goes back in forth in flashbacks as he parables his joys and failures with the victories and defeats of his favourite club.
The movie does fairly good justice to the book but it does leave out a lot. It is quite humourous and good natured, but the decision to add a plot of dating a stuffy school teacher and knocking her up became a bit distracting. Nevertheless, it is wonderfully acted by Colin Firth who can't make any comparisons to life with out some 'football' analogy, and won't live life without his team. A perfect example is when his divorced dad comes to see him again, and asks why they have to go see Arsenal every time he comes to visit. His father then suggests for a different outing to visit his grandmother, and the kid looks horrified and shocked that he would even insinuate that they miss a game. It's as if his father had gone mad that they would visit MOM... instead of watching the 'Gunners'.
I did like the film but the book was better, its more rich and detailed. But the film completely captures the essence of every guy who routes for his favourite football/soccer club. I should know, I am an Arsenal fan myself.
Best advice though... read the book first
Rating 7 out of 10
The movie does fairly good justice to the book but it does leave out a lot. It is quite humourous and good natured, but the decision to add a plot of dating a stuffy school teacher and knocking her up became a bit distracting. Nevertheless, it is wonderfully acted by Colin Firth who can't make any comparisons to life with out some 'football' analogy, and won't live life without his team. A perfect example is when his divorced dad comes to see him again, and asks why they have to go see Arsenal every time he comes to visit. His father then suggests for a different outing to visit his grandmother, and the kid looks horrified and shocked that he would even insinuate that they miss a game. It's as if his father had gone mad that they would visit MOM... instead of watching the 'Gunners'.
I did like the film but the book was better, its more rich and detailed. But the film completely captures the essence of every guy who routes for his favourite football/soccer club. I should know, I am an Arsenal fan myself.
Best advice though... read the book first
Rating 7 out of 10
OK movie, but lacking something.
polkatronixx7 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The movie was weak at best. It is unbelievable as a romantic comedy, and the main character's obsession with Ar5ena1 is just annoying. There are no really likable characters in the movie, and the story just isn't very compelling. The courtship between the two main characters is jarringly short... they go from meeting (and disliking each other) to snogging in a manner of minutes. You never get a good picture of why, exactly, they like each other.
This movie may, however, appeal to people who like Ar5ena1; especially all of them who claim to be lifelong supporters of the team, all of them who claim to have watched the match in question, and even all of them who (like most Ar5ena1 fans) turn off the telly when 'their' team is losing in order to go to the pub. Now that's loyalty! COYS!
This movie may, however, appeal to people who like Ar5ena1; especially all of them who claim to be lifelong supporters of the team, all of them who claim to have watched the match in question, and even all of them who (like most Ar5ena1 fans) turn off the telly when 'their' team is losing in order to go to the pub. Now that's loyalty! COYS!
Insights into obsession
Bede19 January 1999
This film explores the life, thoughts and relationships of an obsessive sports fan. It happens to be have been made in England about a particularly dramatic title win (Arsenal's 1989 victory was the stuff of legend), but applies to obsessives everywhere, who pin all of their happiness on some team over which they can exert no control. The writing is insightful, for example "I don't know whether life is s*** because Arsenal are s***, or the other way around" will be recognised by any fan of a sporting (or political) team, and the central character's long-term reaction to the long-sought victory is spot on. The acting and direction are also spot on. The mellifluous Colin Firth leads an excellent ensemble, from which Mark Strong (as Firth's buddy) stands out. Like the best British films (Brassed Off, for example), this one has real situations and real, recognisable characters you care about, spiced with gentle comedy. I recommend this one warmly.
Captures the essence of fandom and gives the one thing that can melt it
stephen_thanabalan_fans31 August 2005
That's how good Nick Hornby's original best-seller was. It captured the essence of fandom at a time when sport obsession is more rampant than ever, and yet, it showed how eventually, true love presents itself as the one thing more important than what the football (or for that matter you can substitute it with any sport) fan holds dearest. At the end of this film, you come away with not only a touching belief in love and its pricks and silent sacrifices, played out beautifully by the characters, but also a sense of what nostalgic fandom means not just as almost a tradition in a person's life, but the power of love to melt over it.
Acting performances in this film are fantastic and while its probably not the film that launched Colin Firth's career as British Leading man, is the one that has him capturing the essence of something intrinsically British (namely- football fanaticism), epitomised by his crazy worship of his team, Arsenal F.C. Firth's performance is as classy as it is deranged; hilarious yet naively charming.
However, Firth's acting is boosted because there is essentially a fantastically wonderful story that underlaid this work, since it was based on Hornby's published work (which was always) probably going to be made into a movie, just for its fairytale feel, and of course, it was a precedent setting film as it was one of the first football (soccer) based mid-budget films. And like its ensuing emulators, other football based movies, like 'My Summer with Des' or 'Mike Bassett', what is utilised strongly is the level of emotion and drama that can be correspondingly tweaked to titillate based on the events of sport that the show uses.
In this one, complete with stock footage of Michael Thomas' injury time winner at Anfield over the English Champions Liverpool F.C in 1989 - the team that in the words of one of the ladies in the film, was 'famous for being good', the film can boast an amazing climatic setting for the finale, on top of the romance quotient.
It set a romantic comedy precedent for British type sport movies and is worth watching for that pioneering factor alone. 1-0 to the Arsenal, 2-0 to Colin Firth, and 3-0 game set and match for Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch!
Acting performances in this film are fantastic and while its probably not the film that launched Colin Firth's career as British Leading man, is the one that has him capturing the essence of something intrinsically British (namely- football fanaticism), epitomised by his crazy worship of his team, Arsenal F.C. Firth's performance is as classy as it is deranged; hilarious yet naively charming.
However, Firth's acting is boosted because there is essentially a fantastically wonderful story that underlaid this work, since it was based on Hornby's published work (which was always) probably going to be made into a movie, just for its fairytale feel, and of course, it was a precedent setting film as it was one of the first football (soccer) based mid-budget films. And like its ensuing emulators, other football based movies, like 'My Summer with Des' or 'Mike Bassett', what is utilised strongly is the level of emotion and drama that can be correspondingly tweaked to titillate based on the events of sport that the show uses.
In this one, complete with stock footage of Michael Thomas' injury time winner at Anfield over the English Champions Liverpool F.C in 1989 - the team that in the words of one of the ladies in the film, was 'famous for being good', the film can boast an amazing climatic setting for the finale, on top of the romance quotient.
It set a romantic comedy precedent for British type sport movies and is worth watching for that pioneering factor alone. 1-0 to the Arsenal, 2-0 to Colin Firth, and 3-0 game set and match for Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch!
Nick Hornby winner that is as shrewd as it is poignant.
hitchcockthelegend29 April 2009
Teacher Paul is an obsessive football supporter, his love of Arsenal F.C. knows no bounds. Sarah, who teaches at the same school as Paul, has very little in common with Paul. Inevitably they fall for each other, and inevitably Paul's love of The Arsenal starts to drive them apart.
Nick Hornby is a very popular British writer who's other notable works comprise High Fidelity and About A Boy. With Fever Pitch he documented about the triumphant football season that Arsenal had in 1988/1989, while simultaneously outlaying his own stress inducing personal life that ran parallel with his football passion. In the novel, which became a monster seller, Hornby was able to perfectly form just how passionate and ridiculous the hardened football supporter can be {I've been there and done that myself thank you very much}, and tho some of it is expectedly lost in translation to the screen, the core essence is all there to make it a winning adaptation.
Tho laced with truly funny sequences and English soccer in jokes, Fever Pitch is also a most tender and heartfelt piece. Parential problems are handled tidily by director David Evans, and crucially the female axis in this male dominated story is very well portrayed. Both Hornby and Evans do however owe a big debt of gratitude to its leading stars. Colin Firth {Paul} and Ruth Gemmell {Sarah} are wonderful, both understated and both providing an intimacy that at first didn't seem possible. Coming as it does in this particular season, the film encompasses the Hillsborough tragedy that left 96 football supporters tragically killed. This is expertly handled by all involved, with Firth particularly towering whilst acting from an armchair as he comes to terms with both the events on the TV screen, and his query laden girlfriend. Which leaves us with what exactly? Well it's a very British film, and it was no surprise to see it remade as an American piece in 2005. Funny and tender probably best sums up this 1997 film, obviously not as good as the book they say, but it's a mighty fine effort regardless. 7/10
Nick Hornby is a very popular British writer who's other notable works comprise High Fidelity and About A Boy. With Fever Pitch he documented about the triumphant football season that Arsenal had in 1988/1989, while simultaneously outlaying his own stress inducing personal life that ran parallel with his football passion. In the novel, which became a monster seller, Hornby was able to perfectly form just how passionate and ridiculous the hardened football supporter can be {I've been there and done that myself thank you very much}, and tho some of it is expectedly lost in translation to the screen, the core essence is all there to make it a winning adaptation.
Tho laced with truly funny sequences and English soccer in jokes, Fever Pitch is also a most tender and heartfelt piece. Parential problems are handled tidily by director David Evans, and crucially the female axis in this male dominated story is very well portrayed. Both Hornby and Evans do however owe a big debt of gratitude to its leading stars. Colin Firth {Paul} and Ruth Gemmell {Sarah} are wonderful, both understated and both providing an intimacy that at first didn't seem possible. Coming as it does in this particular season, the film encompasses the Hillsborough tragedy that left 96 football supporters tragically killed. This is expertly handled by all involved, with Firth particularly towering whilst acting from an armchair as he comes to terms with both the events on the TV screen, and his query laden girlfriend. Which leaves us with what exactly? Well it's a very British film, and it was no surprise to see it remade as an American piece in 2005. Funny and tender probably best sums up this 1997 film, obviously not as good as the book they say, but it's a mighty fine effort regardless. 7/10
Fun original about sports obsession
DJJOEINC27 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Fever Pitch(1997) The original soccer based version of the Nick Hornby story starring Colin Firth( the remake stars Jimmy Fallon & Drew Barrymore and follows the Bosox).OK- I know obsessive sports fans- OK I am one - reformed- now I follow fake sport(pro wrestling).OK I still follow the Skins and the O's- but not like I did when I was younger.Colin Firth is an obsessed Arsenal fan- been following them for 21 years- when the season is going on - the rest of the world is static to him. Miss Hughes(misuse) is a leggy and serious teacher that teaches the class next to his class- they eventually hit it off(probably cuz they are the best looking folks on the faculty-they seem to have nothing in common-besides good skin and good form).Firth is so obsessed he even gets a flat within spitting distance of the Arsenal pitch.A good flick about sports obsession . B
Not a sports movie, per se
smatysia3 April 2010
Not a sports movie, per se, as those tend to focus on athletes, but a fan movie. (I wasn't aware that they were called fans in England, I had always heard the term "football supporter") Colin Firth plays a lifelong soccer fan, from his formative years. I don't know if his obsessiveness is at all common in England, but it must be enough so for people to recognize the archetype. I have not seen the American remake, which focuses on baseball, (probably because of the word "pitch" in the title) but in the States, that sort of fandom comes closer to (American) football. But it never get like this. The story is about how his fanaticism drives his entire life, overcoming love, marriage, parenthood, and all else. It's an OK film, but I find it hard to recommend.
Cover does not convey how great this movie is
firthnluv24 July 2004
The cover of the Feverpitch DVD does not relay to the consumer what a really great movie this is. Whether it is about soccer or football, we can all sort of relate to the characters in this story. To be honest, I got this movie because Colin Firth is in it and after doing some research figured it couldn't hurt to watch it. I had just seen his Hope Springs which I had to turn off, just didn't like the story line and even his gorgeousness could not keep me there. But Feverpitch just had me laughing and I think I actually stopped breathing minutes at a time. It is so hilarious how serious his character, Paul, took "football" and how hard it seemed for his new girlfriend to relate to his seriousness. All you Firth fans out there beware, this movie will only increase your love for this man. And those who are just wondering if it is worth the rent, I'd say no. It is worth the buy!
Some big problems but contains right passion for the game
Stampsfightclub22 December 2009
Teacher Paul Ashworth (Firth) has always been an avid Arsenal football club supporter and when he starts dating a fellow teacher his love for the sport clouds his other purposes in life.
The first thing that will strike you about Fever Pitch is that it has the most boring opening to a film in all of time. The second thing you will see is the appreciation the film has of all emotions relating to the beautiful game and how it affects beliefs, life and so forth.
Being a fan of British cinema I let the sleepy beginning slide and sat back to watch the film grow into this intriguing reflection on the football side of life and how Colin Firth brandished out on his typecast lover's role for once and created a remarkable shot at a man lost in a world of sport.
Bridget Jones, Pride and Prejudice, Mamma Mia and Love Actually. The common factor is? You're right, they're all awful. But they are all also romantic comedies and star Mr Firth as a brandished eye candy for the female viewers. I've never personally been his biggest fan, and like Hugh Grant in About a Boy, it is good to see him brandish away from the Prince Charming perception and dive more into drama. This hard nosed football fanatic is a glorious exploration of obsession with no way of real world understanding and having seen many of his films, he to me has never bettered this. But with A Single Man due next year critics are suggesting it's his time for an Oscar.
Sadly we can never fully escape his typecast and we see a love interest inserted to balance out the good and bad of his football obsession. This is almost as ridiculous as Love Actually, there was a brief laugh and then they're snogging, having argued previously in the week. Her jealousy and animosity completely contradicts what is to follow it and Ruth Gemmell in all honesty, brings little but negative vibes to the film.
As a fan of football I found the representation quite an accurate depiction of the way the football world used to be and how we as neutrals watched with eager anticipation to see our favourite players march onto the field to the cheers and plaudits of the crowd. Now in a world where we see players selling perfume with their wives (Beckham) and more stories off field than on (manager sackings etc) it has been quite a while since the game has really been viewed as a game of sport and not of tabloid tales. This film however looks beyond the press and sees it as purely a fan's perspective, which benefits it.
The scene in the stadium that introduces Ruth Gemmell to the game is a great collaboration of fan's passion and youthful exuberance.
The final game we see is a title decider and whether you support Arsenal or not you will be gripped with the fans on screen to see the outcome. Despite major flaws with flashbacks, narration and love interests David Evans has created a good intended drama that is a good reflection of fans emotions to the game.
The first thing that will strike you about Fever Pitch is that it has the most boring opening to a film in all of time. The second thing you will see is the appreciation the film has of all emotions relating to the beautiful game and how it affects beliefs, life and so forth.
Being a fan of British cinema I let the sleepy beginning slide and sat back to watch the film grow into this intriguing reflection on the football side of life and how Colin Firth brandished out on his typecast lover's role for once and created a remarkable shot at a man lost in a world of sport.
Bridget Jones, Pride and Prejudice, Mamma Mia and Love Actually. The common factor is? You're right, they're all awful. But they are all also romantic comedies and star Mr Firth as a brandished eye candy for the female viewers. I've never personally been his biggest fan, and like Hugh Grant in About a Boy, it is good to see him brandish away from the Prince Charming perception and dive more into drama. This hard nosed football fanatic is a glorious exploration of obsession with no way of real world understanding and having seen many of his films, he to me has never bettered this. But with A Single Man due next year critics are suggesting it's his time for an Oscar.
Sadly we can never fully escape his typecast and we see a love interest inserted to balance out the good and bad of his football obsession. This is almost as ridiculous as Love Actually, there was a brief laugh and then they're snogging, having argued previously in the week. Her jealousy and animosity completely contradicts what is to follow it and Ruth Gemmell in all honesty, brings little but negative vibes to the film.
As a fan of football I found the representation quite an accurate depiction of the way the football world used to be and how we as neutrals watched with eager anticipation to see our favourite players march onto the field to the cheers and plaudits of the crowd. Now in a world where we see players selling perfume with their wives (Beckham) and more stories off field than on (manager sackings etc) it has been quite a while since the game has really been viewed as a game of sport and not of tabloid tales. This film however looks beyond the press and sees it as purely a fan's perspective, which benefits it.
The scene in the stadium that introduces Ruth Gemmell to the game is a great collaboration of fan's passion and youthful exuberance.
The final game we see is a title decider and whether you support Arsenal or not you will be gripped with the fans on screen to see the outcome. Despite major flaws with flashbacks, narration and love interests David Evans has created a good intended drama that is a good reflection of fans emotions to the game.
Read the book
britwrit27 April 2002
See, Colin Firth is this bloke who's so into footie and Arsenal that He Just Can't Commit to a relationship. And, er, that's it. This could have been funny but it really wasn't and even as a brain-dead romantic comedy, it's a bit grim.
A classic movie about football, unless you support Spurs....
hearsz18 April 2010
By now you would have read enough reviews to know about the story and the characters.
So here's my own opinion of Fever Pitch...
Like the DVD cover states for this movie, "Love footie, hate footie, you'll love Fever Pitch". Fever Pitch defines how hundreds of millions of football fans feel around the world, who are as passionate as Paul (Colin Firth) is about Arsenal FC. The relationship with his father, how he handles his classroom and the teacher next door at the school are all realistic, especially if you're living in an obsessive football supporters world, or any sport for that matter...
The fact that the Americans took this great script and tried to turn into a story of their own (See: The Perfect Catch) shows that it had great appeal on the other side of the Atlantic. The Americans sure have been lacking ideas of late and some have resorted to trying to remake old English classics, with somewhat less success.. e.g. The Italian Job, Alfie and now Fever Pitch.
In Fever Pitch, you could see Colin Firth's potential to be more than just an English character actor and we all know where those early efforts have gotten him today.
A funny film, well worth watching if you've ever been passionate about anything in life, and regardless of what team you support (except for Sp*rs probably)...
So here's my own opinion of Fever Pitch...
Like the DVD cover states for this movie, "Love footie, hate footie, you'll love Fever Pitch". Fever Pitch defines how hundreds of millions of football fans feel around the world, who are as passionate as Paul (Colin Firth) is about Arsenal FC. The relationship with his father, how he handles his classroom and the teacher next door at the school are all realistic, especially if you're living in an obsessive football supporters world, or any sport for that matter...
The fact that the Americans took this great script and tried to turn into a story of their own (See: The Perfect Catch) shows that it had great appeal on the other side of the Atlantic. The Americans sure have been lacking ideas of late and some have resorted to trying to remake old English classics, with somewhat less success.. e.g. The Italian Job, Alfie and now Fever Pitch.
In Fever Pitch, you could see Colin Firth's potential to be more than just an English character actor and we all know where those early efforts have gotten him today.
A funny film, well worth watching if you've ever been passionate about anything in life, and regardless of what team you support (except for Sp*rs probably)...
Enjoyable story, and an enjoyably against-type Colin Firth
HuntinPeck8026 March 2024
This was remade for the American market, made into a baseball movie, starring Jimmy Fallon. Can you imagine? I saw Fallon in Woody Allen's movie Anything Else, and he was anything but good. Don't waste your time on a remake, see the real thing. (If you must watch a Hornby story transplanted to the US then let it be High Fidelity.)
Paul (Colin Firth) and Sarah (Ruth Gemmell) are teachers in a North London comp., parallel lines slowly drawing closer together. Thing is, Paul's heart is already 99% committed to something else. Arsenal. It's eighteen years since the North London side last won the First Division title and this year (1989) they stand a real chance. Does Paul have room in his life for a girlfriend, or even a wife and maybe a family? Can Sarah tolerate sharing her man with eleven other guys?
It's most enjoyable seeing Firth play against type. All that woodenness has disappeared, well mostly. When the prospect of spending the night with Sarah suddenly appears he looks like someone's just died. Watching him explode when Sarah, most unwisely, says "It's just a game, Paul", is most gratifying. I've never seen Ruth Gemmell in anything else, and I'm sad about that. She keeps Sarah's snippiness inside the lines. Excellent support from Holly Aird, Ken Stott, Mark Strong and the kids who play the high school students.
The movie bounces between scenes of Paul's childhood, his burgeoning love for Arsenal, the club more than anything, as a surrogate family, and his late twenties adulthood. The movie is good on period detail - well, it's only twelve years after the period - and is well acted, but it feels strangely disjointed, something that must come down to the way it has been edited. Were there additional scenes that got cut? At 98mins it's a good length for a comedy, but it feels like more scenes could be useful, if only to flesh out Paul and Sarah's relationship. Scenes tend to just break off, abruptly, and :-
An enjoyable film, a must for Firth fans, and Arsenal fans no doubt, but not as good as it might have been.
Paul (Colin Firth) and Sarah (Ruth Gemmell) are teachers in a North London comp., parallel lines slowly drawing closer together. Thing is, Paul's heart is already 99% committed to something else. Arsenal. It's eighteen years since the North London side last won the First Division title and this year (1989) they stand a real chance. Does Paul have room in his life for a girlfriend, or even a wife and maybe a family? Can Sarah tolerate sharing her man with eleven other guys?
It's most enjoyable seeing Firth play against type. All that woodenness has disappeared, well mostly. When the prospect of spending the night with Sarah suddenly appears he looks like someone's just died. Watching him explode when Sarah, most unwisely, says "It's just a game, Paul", is most gratifying. I've never seen Ruth Gemmell in anything else, and I'm sad about that. She keeps Sarah's snippiness inside the lines. Excellent support from Holly Aird, Ken Stott, Mark Strong and the kids who play the high school students.
The movie bounces between scenes of Paul's childhood, his burgeoning love for Arsenal, the club more than anything, as a surrogate family, and his late twenties adulthood. The movie is good on period detail - well, it's only twelve years after the period - and is well acted, but it feels strangely disjointed, something that must come down to the way it has been edited. Were there additional scenes that got cut? At 98mins it's a good length for a comedy, but it feels like more scenes could be useful, if only to flesh out Paul and Sarah's relationship. Scenes tend to just break off, abruptly, and :-
An enjoyable film, a must for Firth fans, and Arsenal fans no doubt, but not as good as it might have been.
Fairly Mediocre, Makes American Version Look Good
briancseel9 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
When the line, "I think I've seen this movie before and you both end up shagging on the carpet" is meant to allow a movie to allow a movie to skip any pretense of courtship and romance you know you are in trouble. It is one of the lazier plot devices I've ever seen.
The plot is basically this, two seeming opposites attract, rather quickly so we don't have to waste much screen time on it. They seem doomed from the start due to his obsession with the English football team Arsenal. This obsession is very much real and rarely played for humor, or at least effectively so.
She stays with him though, but we only see them prior to or after shagging so no sense of the depth.
They break-up, then eventually reunite after Arsenal has won the title, which makes no sense as he has not grown up or matured in any obvious way throughout the film. Nor does she seem ready to accept this man-child.
Roll credits.
I thought the American version was bad, but after seeing the inspiration for it, it suddenly looks palatable.
The plot is basically this, two seeming opposites attract, rather quickly so we don't have to waste much screen time on it. They seem doomed from the start due to his obsession with the English football team Arsenal. This obsession is very much real and rarely played for humor, or at least effectively so.
She stays with him though, but we only see them prior to or after shagging so no sense of the depth.
They break-up, then eventually reunite after Arsenal has won the title, which makes no sense as he has not grown up or matured in any obvious way throughout the film. Nor does she seem ready to accept this man-child.
Roll credits.
I thought the American version was bad, but after seeing the inspiration for it, it suddenly looks palatable.
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