Moneyball (2011)

Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.

Sam’s Review

Rated higher on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic than The Shining (1980), not even important, I decided upon Moneyball for today’s film. Essentially a sister-film to The Big Short (2015). Both were based on books authored by Michael Lewis, both were produced by Plan B Entertainment. Garnering 6 Academy Award nominations, while The Shining managed to land none (but, who’s counting?), Moneyball starts strong. They set the tone well, using archive footage, rousing music and the sound of crowds cheering to grip you. Considering that I have very little interest in the sport of baseball, I'm sold on the premise. Mainly because this isn't about baseball as much as it's about the underdogs. No money, no hope, but a lot of spirit. And it's hard not to root for this team of rejects, deemed too odd for the majors.

I'm not sure when Brad Pitt transitioned from movie star to great actor, and perhaps he was always one, but his later roles seem to hold more depth, more nuance. He plays Billy Beane, an intriguing character. So close to baseball stardom, so close to tragedy. Pitt plays a tired Beane on the edge of despair, a one man bandit going off on one last adventure. He's stubborn, yet sympathetic. His partner in crime Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill, is equally as intriguing. Though I wasn't besotted by Hill. He has serious acting chops, as displayed in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), but at times he comes across awkward. By no stretch was he bad, but the chemistry between him and Pitt was lacking. It was a joy to behold Philip Seymour Hoffman as grouchy manager Art Howe, an adversary to Beane in how the team should be run. There is a brilliance to their passive aggressive back and forth, which are almost comedic, yet almost hostile. And you're never quite sure if they really hate each other.

The script is sharp, deftly blending humour with the more emotional scenes. My favourite being between Beane, Ron (Brent Jennings) and Scott (played by a pre-Guardians of the Galaxy Chris Pratt). Scott sits shocked and grateful at the chance to play again while Beane and Scott playfully bicker.

However, it does run the risk of dragging for the first hour. The pace is decent, and Pitt is fantastic each time he's on screen. But the lack of real stakes is damaging. It's hard to care about the outcome when the consequence aren't dire, instead we have to rely upon the likeability of Pitt and the team. This is epitomised by the lacklustre ending of the film. It works well as a laid back counterpart to the explosive The Big Short. It's easy to enjoy, with Pitt leading some fantastic performances boosted by a clever script with a sharp wit. While the story isn't quite a home run, it's hard to deny that it's a good film.

7/10