Screwball: Baseball’s Juiciest Scandal

by

You can ‘t make this sh!t up.

“Screwball” enters you into the seedy underbelly of Miami’s Biogenesis clinic.

It’s where Tony Bosch was playing doctor, dealing out steroids like candy to any athlete with a fat wallet.

And the biggest name on his client list?

None other than A-Rod himself, the $275 million man, Alex Rodriguez.

Talk about a scandal with some serious juice behind it.

Trailer for “Screwball: Baseball’s Juiciest Scandal”

Watch “Screwball: Baseball’s Juiciest Scandal”

You can watch Screwball:

You can find the latest streaming options at https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/screwball

Ratings:

  • My Rating: 95/100
  • IMDB Rating: 7.2/10 (that’s way off IMO)
  • Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 92/100 (Users); 94/100 (Critics)

Release Date: March 29, 2019

Review of “Screwball: Baseball’s Juiciest Scandal”

Forget the national pastime—baseball has become a national punchline, especially with performance-enhancing drugs. “Screwball,” the new documentary, dives into one of baseball’s wildest steroid scandals with a cheeky grin.

Director Billy Corben revisits the 2013 Biogenesis scandal. A shady “anti-aging clinic” in South Florida was busted for supplying PEDs to MLB stars like Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez.

The affair is sordid and messy, filled with arrogant athletes, slick con men, and bumbling investigators. It’s pure candy for a sports documentarian.

Corben’s unconventional approach features child actors lip-syncing FBI witness testimony. This surreal, humorous tactic emphasizes the childish absurdity of it all.

The 105-minute doc says, “Look at these clowns, caught up in a circus of their own making.”

And what a circus it is. Alex Rodriguez appears as a disingenuous dope fiend, heavily involved in bribing, threatening, and scapegoating to cover up his PED use. This portrayal contradicts his recent charming public persona.

The real star is Anthony Bosch, the fake doctor behind Biogenesis. Bosch fancied himself a medical mastermind, gleefully juicing up the game’s biggest sluggers. He’s like a weaselly Walter White, fumbling into deeper trouble.

The story is so zany it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. America’s game is tarred again as a haven for cheaters and liars.

“Screwball” highlights the sheer incompetence and lack of ethics displayed by all parties involved—Biogenesis, MLB investigators, and even the Department of Health. Fraud is described as “the unofficial state business of Florida.”

One key whistleblower, Porter Fischer, a “tanning professional,” played a crucial role in exposing the scandal. Fischer’s colorful character adds another layer of absurdity to the narrative.

Significant screen time is given to Tim Elfrink, the Miami New Times reporter who first published the Biogenesis revelations. Elfrink explains the complex scandal and the unique culture of Florida that enabled it.

“Screwball” doesn’t just recount the scandal—it immerses you in its bizarre world. The film underscores the farce of a scandal that brought down some of baseball’s biggest names.

It’s an unflinching look at the lengths people will go to cheat the system. The film also highlights the ridiculousness that ensues. It’s a must-watch for baseball fans, as painful as it may be.

Just don’t let the kids see it—oh wait, they’re already in it. How perfectly ludicrous.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc

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