A film showing science's place in sports

Rating: 7/10 (8 March 2019)

Moneyball is a slow-paced but intricate true sports biopic, highlighting Billy Beane's (Brad Pitt) exploitation of a gap in baseball by utilising statistical analyses above all else. This film makes the little dramas more meaningful, building character development whilst remaining faithful to the source story. The message is ultimately portraying the unlikeliness of financially vulnerable teams making it anywhere in competitions today, but also gives insight into one of the true underdogs in sports history.
A consistent soundtrack adds pathos to the more meaningful scenes, not relying on dramatic plot twists to propel the story, and helped by accurately reconstructed scenes from baseball history. Brad Pitt is strong in his role, and this film also features Chris Pratt and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The standout, however, is clearly Jonah Hill: his innocent voice and quiet intelligence perfectly depict the revolutionary thinking of a modern genius.
Family matters and intra-team disputes take a back seat in Moneyball, but the true story background allows this to not become meandering, making this film a worthwhile watch, particularly for sporting fans.