3/4 stars
Many films based on sports like Miracle or Rocky fall victim to being based around cheesy training sequences, but Bennett Miller’s Moneyball is a refreshing exception to this. The plot is based around the Oakland A’s management staff that includes veteran Billy Beane, and rookie Peter Brand. The two seek to revolutionize the process of recruiting players to baseball teams.
Shot almost like a documentary, lack of flashy camera-work and music puts Bean and Brand, who are played by the excellent Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill respectively, into unhindered spotlight. This documentary-style also gives the film the capacity to allow viewers absorb the critical information provided in the film without overwhelming them. In terms of pacing, the film has an even progression that succeeds in holding our attention through the explosive interactions between characters.
The inclusion of flashbacks of Beane’s adolescent years along with his relationship with his daughter help create a character that is human and relatbable. Despite an unfortunate past with the sphere of professional baseball, Beane is charismatic and decisive. Hill, on the other hand, plays the archetypical wunderkind who is oblivious to his own great value. An unlikely combination, they satisfyingly succeed in taking the world of baseball by storm.
Michael Lewis’s intriguing narrative leaves the audience with a greater understanding of the world of baseball, while Miller’s subtle filmic techniques drive home the movie’s captivating dialogue. This movie is a must-see if you want to dive in the hearts and minds of the higher-ups of America’s greatest pastime.