This is not exactly a thrilling dramatic arc. Perhaps that's why director Steven Soderbergh, who was attached to the project at one time, wanted to use some unconventional techniques, such as using players for interviews and acting. Ultimately, director Bennett Miller, writer Aaron Sorkin, and producer Brad Pitt turned "Moneyball" into more of a standard sports movie.
The result: a weirdly disjointed film that's still somewhat compelling thanks to the talents of its creators.
"Moneyball" details how A's general manager Billy Beane (Pitt) rebuilt his team after losing stars to wealthier clubs. Relying on statistical analysts--portrayed here as a composite character played by Jonah Hill--Beane found bargain basement players who couldn't succeed according to the conventional wisdom.
Importantly, "Moneyball" also goes beyond the "statistics are king" message, acknowledging that there's room for romanticism in the game. In addition, it becomes a character study of Beane, who's constantly restless and dissatisfied.
Pitt has charisma for miles, and he employs it well here. Hill does a solid job of making his character both wonky and relatable. The film's best scene demonstrates their odd chemistry as they wheel and deal at the trade deadline for a relief pitcher.
As with "The Social Network," Sorkin uses his trademark style of dialogue to help spice up some potentially dry material. And Miller deserves credit for being willing to use some unorthodox storytelling methods. In particular, some real-life footage of the A's and their fans helps capture the feverous excitement of their 20-game win streak.
Nonetheless, there are plenty of problems here, particularly in the pacing. "Moneyball" spends an inordinate amount of time on the A's early season struggles. During their slide, we see Beane driving around aimlessly several times AND see him throw a TV against a wall AND see him topple his desk AND see him toss a bat in anger. Later, the film glosses over the unfortunate end to the A's season.
Miller and Sorkin took over this film from others, and they never wholly succeed in making it their own. For instance, they cut from footage of the real-life A's to shots of an actor playing for the A's and getting on base. "Moneyball" also has some awkward transitions and a few scenes where actors mangle dialogue; the filmmakers lacked either the time or money to smooth away the rough edges.
Still, for a story about a man who used his head instead of his heart--basically the opposite of a standard Hollywood hero--"Moneyball" is surprisingly endearing, if also a bit of a mess.
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