Moneyball
“Good meeting, every time we talk I’m reinvigorated by my love of the game.”
I love baseball but baseball movies…ehh, not so much. That’s part of the reason I’ve shied away from them for my entire life, but Moneyball seems like it has the chance to be different. The fact it’s based on real shit and features big time actors really tickles my fancy, so lets see if it can sway baseball movies back onto my good side.
It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball. So much so that Moneyball now tops the list of movies that made me tear up that shouldn’t have made me tear up, and that’s an incredibly small list. A massive part of why I’m so skeptical about sports movies is because I’m already invested in them with every ounce of my soul, which means that I know that movies aren’t required to capture the magic they produce. The fun thing about Moneyball, and what makes it so good, is that it’s not trying to do that. Moneyball is organic and very secure in itself that it’s based in fact. Are there exaggerated moments or times where the truth is toyed with? Yes, no doubt. It never changes the story of Billy Beane, Peter Brand, and the philosophy that they forever included in the history of baseball. That’s the key. Of course, it helps that Moneyball’s story focuses on things I personally think are the most overlooked and yet most important parts of professional sports. The scouting meetings, the interactions between players and staff, and the lives of the people who make their money in the business. While Moneyball is comfortable examining this experiment from a faraway view, it’s just as good at being that personal story you can’t look away from. Lastly, this movie is not a fairy tale. Sports rarely allow for a happy ending. Billy was, and still is, searching for that win in the last game of the season. That’s a powerful memo about life and sports all the same. I loved Moneyball.
Before I watched the movie I glanced at the Letterboxd page and saw it was 133 minutes long. I legitimately did not believe the movie ended when the end credits started. It flew past like it was 90 minutes at most. If that isn’t an indication of a smooth story and production then I’m not sure what is. I suppose some credit is due for Bennett Miller as the director of such a result, but in fairness I think we know who and what is responsible for it. Moneyball has two all time performances and a myriad of smaller performances that make it the movie it is. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill put on absolute masterclasses. It feels blasphemous to say this but I have to wonder if they’re the best of their careers. I’m aware that they’ve both been in classics respectively but they just do such a wonderful job in this movie that it’s hard for me to see it being beat. Their deliveries are perfect, but I need to shout out the writers for their contribution. Another gigantic gripe of mine in sports movies is that the dialogue doesn’t sound like people who are well versed in sports talking about sports. It sounds like what movie writers think it would sound like. Not with Moneyball, for 99% of the runtime it really sounds like baseball guys talking about baseball. That couldn’t have made me happier. The score is super fitting too. It’s just a well made movie highlighted by some people who know what they’re doing.
Man, I’m such a fan of this movie. I’m so glad I took the shot on finally watching it. Literally just last week the first 4k for it was released and I’m thinking I may try and go pick that up this weekend. Maybe I’m a sports movie fan…time will tell.
Also, that female reporter can shut her trap.