Moneyball (2011)

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

There is something about this picture that is bigger than the sum total. You could look at it as just a succes story in sports, depicting the massive shift in tactics in baseball from talent scouts to computer analytics. That is a great story in itself, but it would probably only please baseball fans. I am from Europe, and know only the basics about baseball. Therefore I need more than just a baseball story. What makes this story more interesting to me other than the revolutionary computer tactics, is the struggle to become the best. Because you can also look at "Moneyball" as a story about Brad Pitt as a sports manager who is willing to risk everything just to make a chance of becoming the best. A winner. But not even that aspect is the best thing about this movie. What is really magnificent is the acting.Acting is always paramount. Without good acting I just get annoyed and cant get excited about the story anymore, however great the story might be. Fortunately acting AND photography AND soundtrack AND editing are all excellent. It isnt about big dramas, it isnt about flashy camerashots. It is the contineous smooth magnifcicent true to life acting by Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Their acting is what carries this movie to a level higher than any other average sports movie. That is to say, if you are interested in good acting, great editing, soundtrack and photography. I am. For me this picture has become special BECAUSE OF these technical production qualities that are really excellent. Great soundtrack and photography arent enough by themselves, but they are in service of this succes story. "Moneyball" OOZES with a vibrant longing by Brad Pitt for becoming the best at baseball. "Moneyball" is a true winner, which really touched me.

Hundreds of sports films, hundreds of them. Pretty sure Hollywood has tackled every type of sport, including Baseball several times over. Why should this one be any different? Well, this is the true story of the Oakland Athletics to which their General Manager at the time used a new technique of deciding a team: the Moneyball model. Using statistics and logic to pick the most effective players at the cheapest price, therefore building the ultimate economical team. Such a model could change the Baseball industry and negate years of traditional intuition. This is not so much about changing Baseball, but a personal journey for Billy Beane. He himself was chosen to play professionally, ditching his chances of further education. It didn't work out, and so he desired to change the system and defy the industry as a personal vendetta against them. Completely unconventional, having a computer system pick the most suitable players as opposed to listening to veterans who have something that algorithms do not: experience. Thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I can say I have no interest in Baseball (not particularly huge in the UK). A screenplay by Aaron Sorkin was destined to keep me captivated. Every script he writes is filled with sharp, concise dialogue that keeps you hooked on the characters. Brad Pitt looked effortlessly natural, owned every scene he was in. Jonah Hill...get ready guys...I actually liked. Finally!? A film I like him in. Cool, calm and calculated, was perfect at playing a graduate economist. Bennett Miller's direction was clean with a great mixture of old footage of Baseball games with the reconstructed acting. There's a scene towards the end where the result of a game relies on Chris Pratt hitting the ball. When he does...silence. I felt the tingles, was beautifully executed. Whilst the sport of Baseball does not interest me in the slightest, I loved the focus on the team building and thought it was brilliantly acted by everyone.

Moneyball's greatest aspects: an adapted screenplay written by Aaron Sorkin, based off of a Michael Lewis book.The film is incredibly well written, with each scene reliving the story of general manager Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) struggling to rebuild an unfortunate, low budget Oakland baseball team. The screenplay allows for excitement and attentiveness, somehow changing a slow moving sport into an enjoyable, dramatic motion picture.The attention to detail throughout the film, like the fit of the baseball pants and the design of the locker room, truly shows the hard work and effort put in by the production crew. Despite the simplicity of baseball uniforms relative to usual film attire, the costume design for Moneyball is still impressive. The well designed set for the baseball team's locker room and offices allows for long shots through hallways that show characters' moods and general ambiance.Additionally, the film crew did a fantastic job of understanding and breaking down the data-oriented system that is used in baseball today to rate players. Director Bennett Miller successfully delivers comprehensive scenes to teach the audience about this complicated concept, all the while incorporating drama and baseball action into the film.Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are both fantastic in Moneyball. Both of them grow into their characters extremely well, and the film successfully manages to get the audience to become attached to them. Brad Pitt wonderfully depicts inner frustration and pain on the screen, all the while smiling externally to his character's coworkers and family. His performance is further enhanced by the personalities of his supporting cast, specifically Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman.Director of Photography Wally Pfister has a great sense for a scene's look and feel, and he proves that to us throughout the film. For a baseball movie, Pfister shoots scenes with aspects of ingenuity and reality, sometimes shooting scenes the way a person would view a baseball game through their TV. His use of both natural light and artificial light is nicely done — specifically, Pfister's shots tend to have certain lights turned off, whether in a room or in a stadium, to project a dramatic feel onto the scene.Additionally, the editing was superb. By going back and forth between the 2001/2002 baseball video montages with the film footage, the film is able to tie together 2001/2002's exciting commentary with slow motion pitches and swings.Ultimately, Moneyball is able to successfully fulfill and translate the beautifully written story told by Michael Lewis.

Despite being a non-sports fan, let alone a non-baseball fan, there are still a lot of great sports films out there...of which 'Moneyball' is an example of one.It is not going to be for all tastes. It is wordy with a lot of talk and not a whole lot of baseball, which may be a disappointment for fans, but to me that was not a bad thing at all. It saw a different side to the sport and how sports films are approached and portrayed, and it was done wonderfully, apart from a couple of scenes that were a touch too talky.'Moneyball' is a very well made film, not one of the most visually beautiful films of the year but still beautifully shot and the scenery is very handsome. Bennett Miller does a fine job directing, keeping the film engrossing and the drama alert and easy to follow. The music complements very nicely, never over-bearing or too low-key.Aaron Sorkin's script is smart and intelligent, filled with humour and heart, while the storytelling is well paced and enthralling, managing to make something exciting out of a potentially dry subject matter or a film that could have suffered from sluggish execution in lesser hands.Brad Pitt's lead performance is full of daring enthusiasm and he wins one over with his charisma. In contrast, Jonah Hill is superbly understated and Philip Seymour Hoffmann steals every scene he's in.Overall, a great film that is more than just a film about baseball. 9/10 Bethany Cox