Movie Review Rewind: Moneyball (2011)

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If you follow Major League Baseball at all then you know who the New York Yankees are. They are the best that money can buy and that is probably why you either love or hate them. The Yankees can afford anyone at any time because their pockets are deep and their budget is endless. But then there are teams like the Oakland Athletics, a much smaller and cheaper team. They shouldn’t have a chance in hell to have the same success as a team like the Yankees or Red Sox. But, that is what Moneyball is all about. It has less to do with having All Stars on a team, and more to do with having the right people on your team.

Based on a true story, Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, a former player who became a scout who then became the Oakland A’s General Manager. And after a great season, he loses his top three players. He knows without some more money, they will be impossible to replace. But since he works for the A’s, he has to work with what he has. So he meets and hires Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a Harvard graduate with a degree in economics. He definitely knows his numbers. And together, Beane and Brand change the way a baseball team is formed by only looking at statistics and finding players with high on-base percentages.

It is complex and unconventional. But, the idea is simple: the more players on base, the more runs you will get, which will lead to more victories. It doesn’t matter whose name is on the back of a jersey or how a player looks, runs, or pitches. And all of the teams around the league who doubted these two guys and their winning formula are now using it. So no matter how crazy they seemed at first, Beane and Brand made history and changed the game forever.

Pitt has delivered some wonderful performances in his career. Films like Seven, Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and this year’s Tree of Life instantly come to mind. But there is something about his portrayal of Beane that shows a different, yet perfect side of him as an actor.  As the General Manager of the Oakland Athletics, Pitt’s performance is astoundingly brilliant and his charisma is off the charts. Beane is a desperate GM who is willing to do anything to make his team a winner. He has no choice but to shake things up.

At the same time, we get to see the personal side of Beane including his career as a young baseball player and the regrets he carries with him. Also, we get an inside look at his relationship with his young daughter. And while he tries not to show how worried he is in front of her, she can see right through him. In case any of us forgot, we are reminded of the risks he is taking and how everything is on the line.

One of the most surprising things about Moneyball is the impressive performance by Hill. We only know him as the funny fat guy in movies like Superbad and Get Him to the Greek. There is no question that he is a talented actor. But, never have you seen him in a role like this. He has proven to us that he can be lovable and hilarious over and over again. But, playing the role of Brand makes us take him seriously. It shows he can be just as dramatic as he is funny when the time is right. He is starting to show what he is fully capable of in the acting department and I like it.

While Phillip Seymour Hoffman doesn’t play a huge part, I can’t dare leave him out. He plays Art Howe, the manager of the Athletics. He thinks Beane and Brand are out of their minds and are single-handedly ruining his team. The scenes where Howe and Beane clash over control (and there are quite a few) are priceless. No matter how small the role may seem, when you have an actor like Hoffman, the character is instantly elevated to having more importance on-screen. He has that kind of power.

Director Bennett Miller (Capote) takes a story about processes and calculating numbers and statistics in baseball and turns in to a film that is rich in story and overflowing with intelligence and pure entertainment. For those of you who love baseball and everything about it, this is the film for you. It provides an in-depth look at what happens on and off the field, and how this whole game is owned and operated. You may find yourself a little bit surprised about what you find out.

However, if you aren’t a fan of baseball or of sports in general, you still must see this film. It is not just about baseball. It is about a guy who is passionate about what he does and will do anything to keep doing it. While haunted by his choices as a ball player, Beane is motivated. He’s dedicated to change how baseball has been run for over a century. For him and his team, they must adapt or die. It is that simple.

Moneyball is a sports drama at its finest. Fantastic direction, storytelling, writing, and acting compose this movie. And for a film to have all of that is rare and certainly a sight to see.

Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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