Moneyball

The first frame of "Moneyball" includes a quote from Mickey Mantle. He said, "It's unbelieveable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life". This really sums up the entire feel of this film with a GM actually going out of his way to think 'outside the box'.
Oakland A's GM, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is handicapped with the lowest salary constraint in baseball. If he ever plans on winning the World Series, Billy must find a competitive advantage. Billy accidentally finds an economics major from Yale, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) who, through Brand's statistical data ends up turning baseball on its ear after analysis and placing value on the players he picks for the team. Players, such as Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt), a retired catcher whom Billy wants to recruit as the first baseman isn't exactly Oakland's head coach, Art Howe's (Philip Seymour Hoffman) idea. After more analysis, Billy 'cleans house' which really angers Howe even more to the point where you think he may just quit.

As aforementioned, Billy, through Peter, is going 'outside the box' to get the best players for the least amount of pay and it finally starts paying off after much hassle from others.

The subtlety and sublimeness of the direction by Bennett Miller ("The Cruise" '98, "Capote" '05) was amazing. Not a lot of experience, but this is a seasoned director. I believe he chooses his projects extremely carefully. It was incredibly well written by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin based on a story by Stan Chervin which was based on Michael Lewis' book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game".

Others to round out the cast are Robin Wright as Sharon, Billy's ex-wife, Stephen Bishop as David Justice, Jack McGee as John Poloni, Ken Medlock as Grady Fuson, and Glenn Morshower as Ron Hopkins.

Whether you're a baseball fan or not, you will not only love this, but you will leave the cineplex with a whole new respect for a man who defeated the odds when not many were supporting him except for Peter, his stat guy. This says, when one believes in something, stick with it until the end no matter the insurmountable odds.

Out of 4 stars: 4                       Rated: PG-13                     133min.