MONEYBALL

Most sporting movies are generic. They're most often about the underdogs who climb their way from nothing into something. It's a formula that has been around for decades and isn't going anywhere. Not all of these movies are bad either, in fact it's a reliable formula that inspires us and movies like Miracle, Remember The Titans and Slapshot are proven winners. Now comes Moneyball, another true story about a baseball team stuck deep in the shit. Its general manager, Brad Pitt, enlists the smarts of an economics graduate played by Jonah Hill and together they formulate a revolutionary game plan based on individual player values and statistics. Naturally this unconventional method shakes up the league and enemies are made along the way. Moneyball is smart! It's a solid film with solid performances. In my opinion, Brad Pitt has not been this good in a long time and Jonah Hill is remarkable. You needn't know a thing about sport, let alone baseball, to enjoy this film. It's simply a fascinating story told really well. Surprisingly the production stumbled with original director Steven Soderberg leaving and being replaced by Bennett Miller (Capote). You wouldn't know it. Moneyball deserved it's Oscar nomination. It's inspiring stuff without the fluff!

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