468th Review: Oscar worthy film about the real sports

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2011)

I love inspirational sports movies, who doesn't? But Moneyball is not that kind of movie - Moneyball is about the reality of big money, corporate sport - where millions buy the players - and results mean careers; and what we get is complex, satisfying, and interesting as a result.
Moneyball is the true story of the league's "poorest" baseball team, with a team roster bill of $37 million, one fifth of the big boys budget. It is also the tale of how the game changed forever through the smarter use of statistics.
Shot in a style that is very reminiscent of The Social Network, semi-documentary camera angles (distance on speech for example, which traditional film narratives will cut in close-up, and close-up on non-narrative etc;) , this is smart film- making that doesn't resort to devices to drive it - it is a subtle piece of filming that compliments the story well.
Above all though, this is a film of performances, and not just the excellent performance from Pitt, who rewards the viewer willing to try to understand what a General Manager must go through, and his team of coaches and players who really ring true.
All in all, this is one of the better films of 2011, it rewards careful, thoughtful watching, and breaks from the Rocky style of sport films that have dominated the genre.