Dominic LeRose "Moneyball" isn't the typical sports film in which an outcast lead character with the odds stacked against him manages to be victorious in the end. It's a film where, like almost everything in life, the main focus is one and how our world revolves around it. Baseball is an American classic, and with Bennett Miller's interesting and strong film about a failing baseball team in the MLB, we see the politics and business behind this classic game. Brad Pitt gives a great performance who has great on-screen charisma and a euphoric chemistry with Jonah Hill. Pitt does a good job of not overdoing the emotional aspects of his character, yet showing a heart behind his snark attitude. "Moneyball" is a different look at baseball and one that delivers a different and delightful story.

jimbo-53-186511 Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is a former baseball player who is now the general manager for the Oakland Athletics. When he is faced with the prospect of losing 3 of his key players, he approaches the 'boss' to try and get more money from him in order to replace these key players. When the 'boss' informs Beane that no more money is available Beane must try to build the best team that he has with the money that he's got; fortunately he is able to recruit stat-man Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) who teaches Beane to look at baseball scouting from a completely different angle...What I know about baseball could be written on the back of a postage stamp and therefore I decided to watch Moneyball hoping that the film would educate me somewhat whilst also providing me with an uplifting story. Whilst it does a little of both, I didn't find Moneyball to be an entirely satisfying product...One thing I did notice about this film is how cold and clinical it feels; for the most part it's quite dour and depressing and at times it plays out more like a cold documentary than an uplifting piece of cinema. This is further extended to the baseball players within the film; there's no backstory to any of them and no real development to them as people which makes it impossible to root or care for any of them - this is made worse by the rather unceremonious way that they are traded to other teams (again made worse by how accepting some of them are of their dismissals which doesn't sit well with the flow of the film given that Beane had to give Brand a pep talk on how to deal with players reaction to being dismissed). Perhaps Director Bennett Miller wanted to keep the film low-key to avoid it being too melodramatic, but there has to be at least a degree of melodrama otherwise the film can come across as being rather flat and unengaging which is what happens in Moneyball. These things do give the film a rather heavy going feel about it which makes it a bit of a mare to sit through. I confess to knowing nothing about Baseball so the various stats talks and tactical discussion went over my head (this may cause a problem to non-Baseball fans who choose to watch this film as it does take up a good chunk of the running time and this aspect of the film may be boring to some people - it certainly was for me). I think what makes things worse is that I didn't feel that the film did much to uplift me; I never felt a sense of euphoria at any point and wasn't cheering the Oakland Athletics on in the way the filmmakers wanted me to - although I'm prepared to acknowledge that what they achieved with the money/resources they had was quite a feat. As mentioned, it is a combination of the flat way the film is presented, the weak characterisation, and it's general failure to truly uplift me that were the biggest factors working against the film (the film even finishes on a slightly negative note when providing its summary at the end).If there are any positives to this film then they lay with the acting; Brad Pitt does really well and is perhaps the only person it is possible to be behind throughout the film; his Billy Beane has the charisma and desire, but his flaws are shown as well which did give me some investment in the film. Jonah Hill is surprisingly low-key, but does well with what he has to work with - my one criticism is that he doesn't develop much of a working chemistry with Pitt which only adds to the multitude of problems I had with this film. Those with an interest in Baseball may get something out of this, but it did little for me I'm afraid.

patrick powell I'm a Brit and know b*gger all about baseball. Perhaps that's why I found this film to be duller than watching paint dry. On the other hand even if you know about baseball, you might also find this film dull, dull, dull.I like Brad Pitt and have enjoyed many of his films. I find he always brings a certain something to every role he plays, and he brought it to this one, too. Sadly, it wasn't enough to save this film.When I wasn't baffled by all the baseball talk, I was bored. And even when I wasn't baffled by all the baseball talk - there were one or two jargon-free scenes - I was still bored. To be frank, I considered switching off and writing this review halfway through, but I persevered. Well, I know think I need not have bothered: the review would have been the same.If you think you might like this, by all means give it a whirl, but don't blame me if you don't and like me feel bored out of your tiny mind. Gets a five because it isn't exactly bad, but that's it.

kimeastlight-66602 I watched a movie Moneyball yesterday. I barely got last night because it made me think lots of things.The main character of this movie, Billy, (Brad Pitt acting) is a cruel boss. He fired a lot of players and workers for reconstructing team. Anyone could understand why he is so notorious and selfish about managing the baseball team. Actually while watching this scene in this movie, I reminded some incident two months ago in my working place. My company had a huge reconstruction that time, so many attendant had to leave their previous position. I also could not escape from this human resources part. So I had to my working time and my paycheck was thinner than before. I blamed my boss : "This reconstruction is so pathetic and ridiculous! It is like one soccer player made play the baseball!" But yesterday, through this movie, sometimes this kind of exchange can make positive conclusion. And some people can overcome his own trouble through this sudden change.In this movie, Billy was a great promising player when he was a high school student. He was great intellectual student, too. But he gave up his learning opportunity, and he became a baseball player in Major League. However, he did not make up people's expectation. Billy realized that some professional people cannot see who is good or bad in the baseball. Billy have believed only statistics and his belief started working after 3 months of reconstruction of team. Sometimes I have thought : "My decision is right in the past? For example, if I found my own job earlier instead of studying in graduate school, how much I get money now?" Billy is a lucky guy in a broad sense, I think. When he realized he could not success as a baseball player, he threw up all his career. I envy him his courage. To be honest, I also gave up my learning in school and I started my working life. Well, I really trusted my ability about study when I entranced into a graduate school. I thought wrong I was a prodigy before.Whenever I see Oakland's T-shirt, I would like to remind this movie.