Movie Review- Moneyball

I'm going to begin this review by confessing that I'm actually NOT a baseball fan. I do understand baseball, and I AM a sports fan, so I do feel that I'm qualified to write a review about a sports movie. ;)

Moneyball is about Billy Beane, the General Manager of the struggling Oakland A's. After losing his three top players, Beane, with the help of Ivy league graduate Peter Brand, develops a completely new way to build a ball team.

Brad Pitt is great in the role of Beane, and his performance made the whole movie.
Jonah Hill as Brand is another story.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a big Jonah fan. It just seems like he plays every part the same way. That slightly awkward, self-conscious sidekick way.
With the Oscar nod for this part, I was really hoping he'd done something differently.

The movie itself was good. As a non-baseball fan, I did find my mind wandering during the slower parts.
I think they could have told the same story just as well in less time.
To be honest, I don't think folks who aren't sports fans will like this film. Even Brad Pitt as eye candy for the ladies won't help.

It's chalk full of moments that will give you the warm-fuzzies, and even a few that might actually bring tears to your eyes.

The science of the way Brand finds underrated players is interesting, especially after you read that the Red Sox went on to win their first series in decades using the same formula.

The end...Well, the end is sad. I'm not going to worry about spoilers here because any baseball fan would know this, but Billy Beane turned down an offer that would have made him the highest paid GM in baseball history, to stay with the A's. That offer was made by those same Red Sox...who two years later went on to win that World Series.
And Billy? Well, Billy is still the GM of the Oakland A's....and he's also still looking for that World Series win.

Billy's story, which was a side-plot in Moneyball, was, in my opinion, much more interesting than the main plot!
Now there's a story I'd like to see told!
Drafted out of high school by the Mets, he turned down a full scholarship to Stanford to play pro ball...and tanked.

The real Billy Beane

If you're an A's fan, you'll LOVE this movie. If you're a baseball fan, you'll enjoy it, too. 

Myself? Well....I'll stick to Hoosiers. ;)