Caught this last night with Jet and Jandi, and I must say, while only the prospect of using the complimentary tickets were inviting to me, I came out of the cinemas more than pleasantly surprised. I have to raise a glass and toast to Bennett Miller for making what, to me, seemed like just another glorified sports film designed to lure men of all kinds and races to drop dough at the movie house into a charming, funny, and razor-sharp film that would entertain even the biggest baseball dummies. Jet and I, who are two of the un-sportiest people you will ever come across, found ourselves questioning Jandi about what so and so meant, only to be given our answers 2 minutes later by the film itself. We laughed, we teared, and by the end, we were certainly rooting for the Athletics. Plus, the last scene, quiet and nostalgic, was one that stayed with us long after we left the theater.
Based on a true story, Moneyball is a movie for anybody who has ever dreamed of taking on the system. Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball's conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It's more than baseball, it's a revolution - one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he's tearing out the heart and soul of the game.
