A Different Kind of Sports Movie

Rating: Null/10 (1 October 2011)

Moneyball (2011)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
The true story of Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) who after his team is eliminated by the New York Yankees decides he has to come up with a way to compete without spending the money. Enter a Yale graduate (Jonah Hill) who has come up with a way for a small-market team to get players without paying the high price tag. MONEYBALL isn't your typical sports movie. Most sports films would concentrate on the players or have an inspirational coach but this time we take a look at the behind-the-scenes stuff that most fans never get to see. What makes MONEYBALL so fascinating really isn't the personal story of Beane but instead it's the day-to-date operations of a General Manager. I think most of those not familiar with baseball are going to enjoy the story of Beane who must fight a few of his own demons while trying to field a winning team. What is going to be so interesting to baseball fans is seeing how a General Manager goes about making trades, cutting players and how he must determine the best way to field a winning team. Of course, it doesn't hurt when you've got someone like Brad Pitt who once again proves why he's one of the most interesting actors working today. Pitt was always great playing these laid-back types and that calm and collective nature really shines here. I really enjoyed the way Pitt goes about playing not only Beane's demons but also how he eventually comes to enjoy what he's doing. Hill is also very good in his part and I enjoyed the light comic touches he brought to the film. Philip Seymour Hoffman is also very good in his role of the manager but I do feel that the screenplay doesn't do enough with his character. The same is true for Robin Wright; a fine performance but the screenplay does nothing with her role. Those who follow baseball will know how this season in the film turns out but this really doesn't take away from the entertainment. There's some nice human drama along the way and baseball fans will certainly like all the famous names being dropped. MONEYBALL isn't your typical sports movie but it's a fascinating look at parts of the sports we never see.