The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
Despite a strong opening featuring some sharp dialogue...the action soon finds itself mired a series of sports movies clichés.
Possibly the smartest, sharpest baseball movie since 1988’s Bull Durham. Like that film, it’s as likely to score with those who adore the sport as those whose knowledge is first-base.
You don’t need to understand anything of baseball to get behind this, a chest-swelling story about second chances and flipping a finger up (even a giant foam one) to The Man.
Moneyball's international success may be hampered by a disinterest in baseball outside America, but it is shot with style and features archive footage of the games and fans, so is involving and easy to follow.
The surprising thing is that this deadly combination of pastoral sport and wonkish maths actually produces a smart, engaging human drama; and the fact that Brad Pitt is at the centre is only one of its bonus balls.
This is at heart a human drama with many layers...Enjoy this show.
A seasoned, mature picture right out of leftfield.
Thrillingly smart.
Refreshingly free of the motivational speeches that often blight sports movies but still able to be stirring when the moment calls for it, this is light but not lightweight and hopefully it can be embraced as warmly in the UK as it has been in the States.
It is intriguing despite being, for me, in an untranslated foreign language.
It’s so surprising and subtle and beautifully complex that when Billy says at one “it’s hard not to romanticise baseball,” it’s hard to disagree.
Moneyball is surprisingly downbeat, but also very absorbing in its own slow-burning way.
Told with wry humour and an absence of the triumphalism often found in American sports moview Moneyball is a solid, absorbing salute to the mavericks who pursue impossible dreams.
You don’t need to be interested in baseball, or fully understand the statistical theories, to enjoy a great David and Goliath story built around a wonderfully charismatic Pitt while the adroit script by Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and Steve Zaillian packs plenty of humour.
The mark of a truly great sports movie is one that appeals to people who don’t like sport. Moneyball is such a film.
The movie is a brilliant study of group dynamics...one of [Brad Pitt's] finest performances.
Ultimately, they fumble the ball.
Brad Pitt: I became obsessed with Moneyball
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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