Moneyball Reviews

Our Review

Pitt hits the ball out of the park

Dom Phillips, MovieFix

Based on Michael Lewis' non-fiction book, Moneyball pitches a baseball movie that is not about obvious success, but rather a deeper, quieter victory, throwing Brad Pitt possibly his best ball ever. Director Bennett Miller (Capote) wisely fills the bases with high-hitting screenwriters Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network).

Billy Beane (Pitt) is GM of the Oakland A's and can't match the financial firepower of the big boys. Star players get poached and Beane has to think left-field to succeed.

He enlists Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), an Ivy League baseball-loving economist. They use computer analysis to create a new team, based not on potential, as highly paid all-stars are, but on results in various areas of the field. These supposedly inferior (but cheaper) players make a greater whole, a contending team to take on the majors. And so Beane inadvertently revolutionises the way baseball is run.

Golden boy Pitt and nerdy Hill make a great odd couple, battling conservatism all the way, most pointedly in the continual clash with head coach Art Howe (a wonderfully understated performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman). As Brand says, "the first guy through a wall always gets bloodied".

Pitt shows real gravitas as Beane, a former big league player, whose own potential resulted in failure. Beane is driven to succeed and the movie shows him redefining what courage and success are, where values are placed, on the field and off. This is shown poignantly in Beane's relationship with his daughter, Casey (Kerris Dorsey).

There is victory but no series-winning game, and that is what places Moneyball well above the usual sports movie template: team wins, coach on the players' shoulders, yada yada.

If you want a movie about real values, then you're in the right ballpark.

Your Reviews

Iris Wielders

Sorkin soars on a winning streak (Moneyball) Whilst acknowledging co-writer Zaillian, the influence of Aaron Sorkin is clear in this sure Oscar winner. This is cinematic story telling at its best, subtle in its exposure, character building and pace. Add Sorkin’s typical crackling fizzing dialogue and smart sense of humour, and this is a movie of the caliber of The Social Network. As in that film, the topic of the movie is not what the film is about – as in much of Sorkin’s other work the backdrop functions as a setting for a story about people under pressure and the choices they make trying to do the right thing. I know nothing about baseball, and there are lines in the movie I did not understand, but I assure you it does not matter. If you do happen to love baseball as much as these characters do, it will be an even more satisfying experience.

Terry

Great movie for anyone who has been involved senior sport at and of a serious level

Sets the Oscar bar high.

The first genuine Oscar contender to land on our screens, this ostensible sports flick has set the bar very high indeed. Based on real events (and adapted from Michael Lewis’ book “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game”) Moneyball recounts the ground-breaking approach that General Manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) took to enable the Oakland Athletics, with their $40m payroll, to compete against sides like the Yankees who had $120m behind them. With only a handful of actual baseball scenes featured – mostly from the 20th match in the A’s record-breaking 20 game winning streak – director Bennett Miller wisely sticks close to the utterly gripping off-field drama that screenwriters Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian have superbly eked out with their pens. Brad Pitt proves his sense for picking career propelling roles is still flawless; his turn as the arrogant, charming, stubborn and intelligently forward-thinking Beane is a revelation, surely placing him as the early frontrunner for Best Actor come the awards season that’s just around the corner. Throw in a well-measured, heartfelt performance from Jonah Hill and you have a film that will undoubtedly be tagged a classic in the not-too-distant future.

Normajean

Great movie - if you're into baseball. If you're not, then you're wasting your time.

awesome movie!

Pamela

Great film, a great script, casting and acting. I thoroughly recommend seeing this at the movies. Once your into it it grabs you as the story unfolds. It is very real as in not "fake hollywood style". Some movie makers out of the US are getting much better at this. If you want fantasy don't see this film.

never u mind

iuts da best movie out

Brad Pitt is always boring and this movie is no exception.

sweet movie...inspires me so much

absolutely sensational , best movie ever

slow dull save your money

took my parents to see it last friday i enjoyed it and they loved it.

Brad Pitt at his best; deserves the academy award for best actor.

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