A football fan tries to reconcile his obsessive love of the game with his job, his romantic relationships, and his life in general in this comedy/drama. Since he was a child in North London, Paul Ashworth (
Colin Firth) has been a loyal fan of the Arsenal football team; he attended many a match with his father as a child, especially after his parents divorced, and Arsenal's annual season is one of the few emotional anchors in his life. Now in his mid-30s, Paul teaches English at a state-run school and has become involved with Sarah (Ruth Gemmell), a fellow member of the school staff. While she's pretty, bright, and in nearly all ways a good catch, Sarah doesn't care for football. This lack of interest unfortunately shows itself at a time when Arsenal seems poised to win their first championship in 18 years, and Paul hopes to buy a house near their stadium to make it easier to attend home games. When Sarah becomes pregnant and the long-term stability of their relationship becomes a crucial issue, she forces Paul to decide what he loves more: Sarah and their baby, or Arsenal? For Paul, the answer isn't as simple as one might imagine, as he weighs the joys and responsibilities of adulthood against the passionate enthusiasm that sustained him through his youth. Fever Pitch was based on the semi-autobiographical book by
Nick Hornby, who has a cameo as a football coach. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide