Exploration of Unconventional and Unpopular Computerization of ML Baseball tale told in an emotionally distant manner

Rating: 5/10 (31 October 2011)

Bill James is lionized here by main character Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) and cohort "Peter Brand" (Jonah Hill in the film's only engaging performance). However, only 4 main concepts are touch upon: On-Base Percentage, never intentionally walk a batter, avoid bunting, and avoid stealing. I agree with all four principles. Inly the first is dwelt upon at length. Other favorite categories of Bill James are ignored. As is the fact that the team had 3 great starters - Barry Zito, a certain Hall of Famer who won the Cy Young was not even mentioned. That said, as a lifetime baseball fan, I enjoyed the baseball angle of the movie as well as taking on veteran scouts and the establishment as rooted in the dark ages wedded to approaches that just don't work. All of this makes for a terrific sports debate and a very interesting book (Moneyball).
As a movie made for entertainment, however, it didn't really deliver more than some ironic humor here and there. Pitt played Bean as aloof and emotionally vapid even while talking passionately about his theories. That was a subtext to the entire movie as we spend a lot of time watching Pitt in his car keeping his family and colleagues at a distance with his Bluetooth. That may be accurate - one of the subtexts seemed to be that while Beane helped bring baseball thinking into a new era while overcoming obstacles, his own life remained rather inconsequential. His history-achieving 20th straight win which consumes about 5 minutes of film is immediately written off by Bean himself in 20 seconds. Again, probably an interesting observation and quite possibly true, but not very entertaining or rewarding.
The scenes between him and his guitar-playing daughter (or mostly her voice) are monotonic and just seem to be their to contribute to the subtext of his personal loneliness. Yawn! The scene where he discusses the daughter with his ex-wife (Robin Wright in a static performance that is little more than a cameo) and her new husband is even more clichéd and vapid. Phillip Seymour Hoffman who can be remarkably good in some roles (Capote, Charlie Wilson's War, Almost Famous) and remarkably bad in others (Punch-Drunk Love, State & Main) is neither here. He portrays Art Howe through Beane's eyes as a traditional chew-spitting, hard-headed, fundamentals-preaching manager. Hoffman's portrayal is more than adequate for a clichéd character that contributes nothing of substance to the movie. Thank goodness for Joanh Hill (who I frankly haven't liked in the other two kid-oriented movies I saw him in). Although the name of his character has been changed from real life, he lets us into his thoughts, feelings, and cares about his relationships. In this movie, that was a much-needed breath of fresh air.
If you are interested in the concepts of Moneyball, read the book first, then see this on basic cable or on Netflix (there's nothing special the big screen brings to this one). Unless she is really into baseball or Brad Pitt, do not make your wife watch it with you!