A Fantastic and Un-Clicheed Sports Film

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 2011)

I just saw this movie, and I have to say, it's one of the better sports movies that I've seen. It starts off with a brief glimpse at the Oakland A's demise in the 2001 playoffs vs the Yankees, in which they coughed up a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-5 ALDS. Following this heartbreaking defeat, the team is essentially dismantled. They lose their top players (Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen), and are forced to rebuild.
Like most sports movies, it at least partially focuses on every MLB player's main goal: to win a World Series. But it's also about more than that. In "The Natural", it's about an old, injured coulda-been that strives to meet his former potential. In "Field of Dreams", it's about the love of the game, and how it unites people. In "Moneyball", it's about one man's apparent desire to change the game by looking at nothing but On-Base Percentage. It's also about Beane and Brand's new ideas going up against the purists of baseball.
Brad Pitt can add yet another great performance to his resume with his portrayal of Billy Beane, the A's GM. And Jonah Hill proves (to me anyways) that he is an actor capable of much more than raunchy comedies. I didn't once think about his previous characters from Superbad and Knocked Up when I watched him. Philip Seymour Hoffman adds instant class as A's manager Art Howe, as well.
The film is also completely devoid of sports clichés. It helps to know that it's all based on true events, I suppose. But you don't feel like you're watching a recycled film. I was captivated from beginning to end.
I suppose my one complaint would be the small amount of real-live baseball footage. Most of the baseball is old footage of the actual events, with the actors integrated in for close-ups. But the film is seen from Beane's perspective, and he doesn't like to watch the games.
Don't be surprised if it gets some Oscar nods. Possibly Best Adapted Screenplay (from the book), or maybe even Best Actor for Brad Pitt. See it now.