Moneyball - a review

When I went to see Moneyball I wasn't sure what to expect. Films about sports can either be brilliant in their originality or dull and lifeless. There has been a lot of talk in the media that this could be Brad Pitt's chance for an oscar, with that in mind I had to check it out.

 The film is directed by Bennett Miller and stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the Oakland A's General Manager who changed the rules of baseball by drafting his players using a computer-generated system. I actually know very little about baseball. Growing up in New Zealand it's not a sport that is commonly played. In fact outside of rugby there aren't many sports that are played commonly in New Zealand. This film however isn't so much about the game of baseball rather it is about the people behind the scenes who put together the teams.

It was really interesting to see what goes into making a baseball team. I had never thought that the look of the player could be a factor. When Billy starts naming the players he wants and the other men disagree their reasons range from throwing with a funny arm to being too old. Of course we are taught not to judge a book by it's cover and this film, like many others, shows us what is possible if we look beyond our preconceived notions and judgements. What I enjoyed about this film however is that it's focus isn't placed on this age old lesson, rather it is about the characters, namely Billy and Peter.

Before I get to Brad Pitt's performance I feel the need to mention Jonah Hill as Peter Brand. Jonah has had a successful career these last few years with films like Superbad, Cyrus, and Get Him to the Greek. He has made a name for himself under the comedic umbrella of Judd Apatow and we have come to expect funny if not slightly ridiculous performances by him. In Moneyball however he is nothing like we've seen of him in those films. His character is Billy Beane's assistant who comes up with the computer-generated method of picking players. Jonah does an excellent job in this role proving that he is as talented in serious roles as he is in comedy.

What I found interesting about this film was that I didn't really care whether or not the revamped A's team won their games. It's not that I didn't want it all to work out, rather that it isn't where the focus of the story went. Brad Pitt's Billy Beane lit up the screen in this film. He bought an energy and life to the character that left me rooting for him rather than the team. Of course, the two go hand in hand, but this has to be the first sports film I've seen where I didn't really want to watch any of the sports scenes, preferring instead to focus on the character arc of Beane. Going in I couldn't imagine how a sports film could provide Pitt with an Oscar nod. I get it now though.

So my recomendation is that you go see Moneyball.  If you're a baseball fan you will really enjoy the behind the scenes story it provides. If you're not a sports film fan then go because this isn't merely a film about baseball, it's a film about a man named Billy Beane and the risks he took to make a change.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the film if you've seen it, or your thoughts on other sports films and what makes them work/not work.