Movie - Moneyball

Tonight Teena and I went to see Moneyball with some friends. The movie is based on the Michael Lewis book which I read a couple of years ago.

"Based on a true story, Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball's conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It's more than baseball, it's a revolution - one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he's tearing out the heart and soul of the game."

When I first heard they were coming out with a movie based on the book, I did not know how they could do it without it being boring. The book is an excellent, very interesting read but I could not see how they could transform this to an good movie.

Well, they did better.

This is one of the rare times when the movie equals the book. Not many movies can do this.

Brad Pitt does an excellent job as Billy Beane although I thought the book portrayed him as more crusty and unpolished. I thought Peter Brand also did a great job as the statistical geek. The movie has humour, drama and is about most everyone's favorite subject. The little guy taking on Goliath.

For me, it is one of the best sports movies ever made. I must see for sports fans and Brad Pitt Fans. Teena's review is here.