"Moneyball"-- you had me at 'hello'
Let me state three facts about myself for you:
1) I am a female storyteller
2) I have a degree in mathematics
3) my favorite sport is Baseball.
Did I like "Moneyball"? Um, yes, yes, I did.
I sort of feel like the review is over. Here is why:
1) Brad Pitt and the drama of the underdog
2) baseball stats
3) baseball
Did I mention this film is about baseball?
Okay, truth be told, Mr. Pitt is a far cry from his "Legends of the Fall" days, but he's far more charming in this film than he has been in ANY film in a long time (Oceans 123 doesn't count); and Jonah Hill doubling as Paul DePodesta (I don't even have to look up these facts folks, I just know that DePodesta was Billy Beane's right hand man, though in the film they change his name to Peter Brand... why? I don't know, maybe DePodesta didn't want his name mentioned?) is the most subdued I've ever seen him in a film and he is great. I don't really know how he was cast-- the comedian that he is-- but he was perfect in the role.
But then, the stats come in. I have often thought that the real wisdom of baseball is NOT the Yankees way of doing things (buying talent-- you'll note, when they had their string of World Series appearances they were stocked with farm system players--once they went after Giambi et al, they were disastrous...); but the Twins/Athletics/Angels (though the Angels are now officially OFF the list, thank you very much Albert Pujoles) way of doing things: small, with quality no-ego role players.
I knew the outcome of this film before I sat to watch it, because, of course, it was my beloved Twins who put a stop to the Athletics season that year in the Division Series; but watching it play out was a wonder to me.
Yes, there are many of you out there who will say, 'why is floating numbers and charts interesting to me?' and to that I would only say... what do you have against numbers?
Seriously, there are many who won't get this film or get the 'point' of the drama because it is about watching a man, Pitt (as Beane) watching and waiting to see if his grand experiment will work. The juxtaposition of his own experience as a top prospect who could never figure out the 'bigs' plays into the drama and into the mind of the man who would conceive Moneyball. To me, the drama was more than taut; but I'm a baseball junkie, so there it is.
Then briefly, the plot: a GM Billy Beane (Pitt) of the Oakland Athletics makes it to the ALCS one year and then is 'gutted' of his best talent by higher profile and higher payrolled teams (the Yankees, as always, play the villain). He must fill key positions while staying on budget-- how to do so? In comes Peter Brand (Hill).
Beane watches as he kills a deal with Cleveland Beane was sure he could sneak past the management: an undervalued player. What does Beane go after instead? Brand himself. The pair scour the scouting department, infuriating the old guard in the process and assemble an unlikely branch of heroes. The Athletics go on the longest win streak in the history of Major League Baseball that year and we get to watch as it plays out through the doubters and the fear.
There is a sub-plot of Beane's own playing career and his relationship with his daughter-- one he struggles to keep alive through a divorce and a meddling step-father-- but those things, though coming NEAR to being annoying, never cross the threshold.
The separate drama's of the players (from newbie Scott Hatterberg to vet David Justice and bad-boy Jeremy Giambi) is exceedingly fun to watch as they were portrayed exactly as I always have felt that they really were (Giambi... what a dufus); and Phillip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Art Howe was nothing short of brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I'm sure you can tell and if you have a shred of joy in numbers, sports or handsome (although aging), charming leading men-- you will too.
"Moneyball"! Ah! Unlike Baseball, we can't say 'just wait until next year' because a good sports movie usually only comes around once a decade... oh, well, we DO still have baseball season (pitchers and catchers reported this weekend) and hopefully we can find some new drama on the field-- after all, isn't that the thing we're all paying for anyway?
1) I am a female storyteller
2) I have a degree in mathematics
3) my favorite sport is Baseball.
Did I like "Moneyball"? Um, yes, yes, I did.
I sort of feel like the review is over. Here is why:
1) Brad Pitt and the drama of the underdog
2) baseball stats
3) baseball
Did I mention this film is about baseball?
Okay, truth be told, Mr. Pitt is a far cry from his "Legends of the Fall" days, but he's far more charming in this film than he has been in ANY film in a long time (Oceans 123 doesn't count); and Jonah Hill doubling as Paul DePodesta (I don't even have to look up these facts folks, I just know that DePodesta was Billy Beane's right hand man, though in the film they change his name to Peter Brand... why? I don't know, maybe DePodesta didn't want his name mentioned?) is the most subdued I've ever seen him in a film and he is great. I don't really know how he was cast-- the comedian that he is-- but he was perfect in the role.
But then, the stats come in. I have often thought that the real wisdom of baseball is NOT the Yankees way of doing things (buying talent-- you'll note, when they had their string of World Series appearances they were stocked with farm system players--once they went after Giambi et al, they were disastrous...); but the Twins/Athletics/Angels (though the Angels are now officially OFF the list, thank you very much Albert Pujoles) way of doing things: small, with quality no-ego role players.
I knew the outcome of this film before I sat to watch it, because, of course, it was my beloved Twins who put a stop to the Athletics season that year in the Division Series; but watching it play out was a wonder to me.
Yes, there are many of you out there who will say, 'why is floating numbers and charts interesting to me?' and to that I would only say... what do you have against numbers?
Seriously, there are many who won't get this film or get the 'point' of the drama because it is about watching a man, Pitt (as Beane) watching and waiting to see if his grand experiment will work. The juxtaposition of his own experience as a top prospect who could never figure out the 'bigs' plays into the drama and into the mind of the man who would conceive Moneyball. To me, the drama was more than taut; but I'm a baseball junkie, so there it is.
Then briefly, the plot: a GM Billy Beane (Pitt) of the Oakland Athletics makes it to the ALCS one year and then is 'gutted' of his best talent by higher profile and higher payrolled teams (the Yankees, as always, play the villain). He must fill key positions while staying on budget-- how to do so? In comes Peter Brand (Hill).
Beane watches as he kills a deal with Cleveland Beane was sure he could sneak past the management: an undervalued player. What does Beane go after instead? Brand himself. The pair scour the scouting department, infuriating the old guard in the process and assemble an unlikely branch of heroes. The Athletics go on the longest win streak in the history of Major League Baseball that year and we get to watch as it plays out through the doubters and the fear.
There is a sub-plot of Beane's own playing career and his relationship with his daughter-- one he struggles to keep alive through a divorce and a meddling step-father-- but those things, though coming NEAR to being annoying, never cross the threshold.
The separate drama's of the players (from newbie Scott Hatterberg to vet David Justice and bad-boy Jeremy Giambi) is exceedingly fun to watch as they were portrayed exactly as I always have felt that they really were (Giambi... what a dufus); and Phillip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Art Howe was nothing short of brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I'm sure you can tell and if you have a shred of joy in numbers, sports or handsome (although aging), charming leading men-- you will too.
"Moneyball"! Ah! Unlike Baseball, we can't say 'just wait until next year' because a good sports movie usually only comes around once a decade... oh, well, we DO still have baseball season (pitchers and catchers reported this weekend) and hopefully we can find some new drama on the field-- after all, isn't that the thing we're all paying for anyway?
Don't forget, of course, that the screenplay was written by the brilliant Aaron Sorkin. Baseball, math, and Aaron Sorkin. The trifecta.
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