I will confess to being no sports fan even if I've still been able to find enough sports themed movies to enjoy. SHUTOUT is one that I really went into not knowing what to expect since I didn't immediately recognize any of the leads from previously Fredianelli films. But as I watched the film, I found there wasn't much to worry about in that regard as the performances are solid. In fact, SHUTOUT might be one of the best acted Wild Dogs movies as the actors excel at both believability and comedic delivery. Though my praise of the latter is not meant to imply that this movie is a comedy. It's very much a serious drama almost to the point that it feels like a low-budget version of a Hollywood Oscar bait movie (though swapping baseball for boxing and devoid of faux New England accents). And I don't mean that as an insult because the movie delivers on telling that kind of broken home sports star drama very effectively. The faults come along moreso when it comes to the technical aspects of the production. Much of the movie is under lit and shot in a way that either feels static or repetitive. The climactic baseball bout for instance had me zoning out more than a few times as the innings increased. Part of this probably stems from my indifference to baseball, but I also believe that some slightly more engaging and dynamic staging and camerawork could have gone a long way. While SHUTOUT is far from landing a spot among my favorite Wild Dogs movies, it certainly turned out far more enjoyable than expected. Recommended.
