I really honestly do NOT like any sport that uses a ball. I am the consummate anti-sports fan.
But this story lacked any central plot - character development was lacking -- and starkly, no music, to enhance viewing. It was bare naked, and quite ugly, imho. There was NO chemistry between the characters at all.
A lot of "time switching" present to past to? and it was a little hard to follow where I was at, at any moment in the movie....
They seem to go through the motions, but it did NOT dispel my disbelief.
Based on what I saw, I will NOT read the book. Besides not liking sports, this just didn't do anything for me. When I keep looking at the clock figuring out how much time is left, oh yeah, this isn't going to be good.
Very disappointing, considering his other two novels/movies were very good: "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet when you get to Heaven" I usually do things bass ackwards -- I see the movie first, THEN I invest the time to read the book. Pass. This one really vacuumed!