Monday, January 16, 2012

Moneyball- I'm surprised but not surprised I like this one. The reason I'm not surprised is because it got plenty of good reviews from previous critics. The reason I'm surprised is because I'm not the hugest baseball fanatic and this film is essentially many conversations about baseball statistics. Yes there are tense moments of will they win or not, but in reality, not really, since it focuses more on the guy managing the team than the team itself. Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jonah Hill make good work of the script, even though I'm half convinced that Hill's nervousness as a character came from the same nervousness that is working with actors like the two of them. It's also nice to go, hey! is that Robin Wright as the ex-wife? Yes it is. And is that Chris Pratt (Andy from 'Parks and Recreation') as a baseball player on the team. Why Yes, yes it is. The film tells a captivating portrayal of events, even if it didn't always seem completely honest. I also enjoyed the occasional use of archival game footage to depict the reality of the film. The script is sharp and witty as well, adapted from the novel by Michael Lewis, by Steven Zaillian ('Shindler's List', 'Gangs of New York') and Aaron Sorkin ('A Few Good Men', 'The Social Network'). Definitely worth checking out for anyone, although I would further recommend it to someone who has at least a slight interest in baseball.



- Jeff Bassin