Interesting, even for the non-baseball fan

Rating: 7/10 (9 August 2012)

I write this as a person who is not a baseball fan. That's not to say I dislike the game, I just don't pay much attention to it. So I come to bat (yes, I know, dumb pun) as a movie fan, not a baseball fan.
I struggled through some parts of this film because of not knowing some of what they were talking about as they sat around the table discussing which players to buy. But having that understanding is only helpful, not required to enjoy this film. Because what this film is about is having a different person take a look at some thing (in this case baseball) from a different perspective. And, as a retired school principal, that's a concept I do understand.
Frankly, the other thing this movie is about is Brad Pitt. Most of the actors and actresses Americans have adored have a persona that shows through in almost all of their roles. Take Cary Grant. We went to the movies to see Cary Grant...not specifically the character he played. During an interview, Dean Martin was once asked something along the lines of, "It seems like you're always playing Dean Martin." To which Dean replied, "Who do you want me to play -- Laurence Olivier?" No, we went to Dean's film to see Dean. But when I think back to some of Brad Pitt's most memorable roles, I can't find the same old Brad in each one. He's always been different. He's been the character. I don't see a connection in persona between Benjamin Button, Heinrich Harrer, Tristan Ludlow, and Billy Beane. In each film he is a different person...and most important of all, he is BELIEVABLE. And that's what really makes this film work.
In terms of the rest of the cast, Jonah Hill deserves special note. What a fine and atypical performance. On the other hand, Philip Seymour Hoffman is an actor I usually don't want to like, but usually end up respecting for his performances. This time I was not impressed. Was he supposed to play a slug? Recommended, though perhaps not as great as I had been led to believe.