BrianSez's Review

Summary - Great 4.0

It was great fun watching the story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) turn around the fortunes of the Oakland A’s despite being hamstrung with a sub-par budget and a resulting inability to hold on to big-name players. Lots of sports-crowd humor infused interactions as Billy with the help of Peter Brand (Johah Hill) busts through the old-school ways (and people) after learning that he can win using statistics rather than emotion, here-say, and gut feelings. This is not your usual sports movie: Instead of playing on hopes about people on the field, you are hoping that a strategy and numbers win the day. The end result is similar however, you will find yourself rooting for the team.

Acting - Very Good 3.5

Brad Pitt lives up to our expectations of him with his understated swagger, and Johah Hill proves that he has more range than juvenile humor roles. Both do a great job. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is in more of a supporting role as the head coach that is dragged along, at first unwillingly.

Film - Great 4.0

Loved the sports story with the back-room twist. Sports movies rarely stay focused on the back-room operations, but MoneyBall does this without losing touch with the old-fashioned sports film emotions. Add to that more of a personal look at Billy Beane’s life, good humor, and great acting and you have a winner of a film.

Edge - Tame 1.2

Reality - Glib 1.1

7 Comments

• BigdaddyDave Oct 31, 2011 8:52PM

  Thank you Wick!

• Snackula Oct 29, 2011 2:49PM

  Hey Wick. I got your email earlier, and of course I promptly deleted it by accident. I did receive the Amazon card. Thank you very much.

• Wick Oct 29, 2011 12:53PM

  Congrats to BigDaddyDave for winning his second ViewGuide review contest, and also to runners up Snackula and MovieGod300. Details Here

• Wick Oct 6, 2011 8:01PM

  Regarding BigdaddyDave’s Review
  Excellent review with some really interesting observations BigD. I think your movie-date warning needs to be heeded by unwary guys.

• Wick Sep 25, 2011 1:11AM

  Regarding Snackula’s Review
  Yeah, the sliders don’t work on iOS. You can edit it next time you’re on a 20th Century computer.

• Snackula Sep 25, 2011 1:04AM

  Regarding Snackula’s Review
  Hey Wick. I, for some reason, couldn’t give the violence rating I wanted via my iPad. The violence is definitely not fierce in the film. I was just trying to acknowledge that there are a couple of moments with Beane’s temper that raise the rating above mild. I’ll figure it out.

• Wick Sep 25, 2011 12:49AM

  Regarding Snackula’s Review
  Solid lead-off Snakula. Well argued and well rated. I just returned from taking it in and was thinking Really Great was probably right for the Summary. Now you’ve confirmed it.

  Not sure how you got to Fierce on the violence however.

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