MONEYBALL

US, 2011, 133 minutes, Colour.
Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright.
Directed by Bennett Miller.

It is very difficult for a non-baseball fan to respond fully to a baseball-centred film, even Field of Dreams. Baseball, especially in the Major League, is American as... well, as Mom and apple pie used to be. This is true of Moneyball, although it takes us into issues that are real for any sport.

Those in the know would be aware that Moneyball is based on a true story and that some of the characters contributed advice for the film. The action takes place from 2001.

The Oakland Athletics are in the elimination round – and are eliminated. This kind of thing in all sports leads to recriminations, re-examination of players, with some to let go or trade, with changes of tactics. Brad Pitt plays (very well) Billy Beane, the manager of the Athletics. We learn throughout the film that he used to be an up and coming player in the 1980s who came but did not really go up. He is now a shrewd manager and the early part of the film shows him working his phone for trades, arguing for salary deals, confronting agents and his board.

On one visit, he notices a rather rotund young adviser, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), who is unobtrusively communicating opinions which are taken note of. Billy accosts him, tests him and trades him. He is impressed by Peter’s Yale background in economics and his development of criteria and computer programs which enable him to offer more informed detail about a player’s abilities and failings. The focus in not on what an individual star can do for a team. Rather, it is a look at particular qualities that are not noticed at first but, when combined with other players’ idiosyncratic qualities, could lead to better scoring and wins.

The Board is definitely not impressed, nor is the long-serving talent scout and the coach (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is strongly opposed and does not follow directions from the manager. The team suffers many losses.

Billy Beane does not give up. He capitalises on trading players with Peter’s advice. He thwarts the plans of the coach with last minute deals and trades. The Athletics begin to win – and, history tells us – they equal the record of successive wins in a season.

There is some secondary plot about Billy’s career and his failed marriage (Robin Wright as his wife) and his bonding with his daughter. Peter, on the other hand, has no life except for his computer, his talents and the games.

Obviously, audiences not really interested in this kind of world may find the film sometimes tedious. But, it is written well by Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List among many others) and Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, West Wing and The Social Network). Director is Bennett Miller (Capote).

We are told that these methods of building up teams continue and the Boston Red Sox (where Billy Beane turned down a lucrative offer to become manager) won a season using them.
1. An entertaining sports film? The tradition of sports films? 21st century interests and changes?

2. The title, scouts and managers, coaches, sporting boards, the owners of teams, computer geeks and formulas? Application of formulas?

3. The film for an American audience, the love of baseball, the major league, loyalties and understandings? Fan experience? For other audiences?

4. The film as based on a true story and characters, baseball history?

5. The focus, the final elimination match, New York, Oakland? Oakland losing, the effect?

6. Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, as manager, his personality, his skill with deals and money? His life on the phone, the board meetings, the old members of the board, urging thinking outside the box, arguing?

7. The discussions, trading players, the bargains, the meetings, his seeing Peter Brand? Accosting him afterwards, cross-examining him, Peter’s role, Billy being impressed, testing him out, the sudden hiring?

8. The collaboration with Peter, the computer formulas, applications, checking the nature of talent, avoiding judgments on appearances, media hype? The use of talents, the combination of skills? Willing to lose stars? The plans, the discussions, the visit to Hatteberg, his home, his wife? To David Justice? To the partygoer? Building the team? His later firing the partygoer, the trading?

9. The coach, his personality, clashes with Billy, not believing him, his going against him during the matches, the later change of heart?

10. The scout, his long service, arguments against Billy, his leaving?

11. The visit to Hatteberg, taking the old trainer, Hatteberg and his wife, the life and an opportunity?

12. Billy Beane’s life, as a boy, people discovering his talent, the passing of the years, the 1980s, his not being successful, his resentment of agents, his settling into the job as manager?

13. The losses, the commentators and their criticisms, the role of the board, the arguments, the coach?

14. Billy’s moments of self-doubt, his discussions with Peter about hiring and firing, getting Peter to fire the player, his secluding himself?

15. The background story of his wife, daughter, the divorce, her remarriage? The visits, buying the guitar, his daughter singing, communicating? His wife phoning him and praising him for his successes?

16. Peter Brand, his appearance, Yale, his personality, his being smart, not having a life, study, advice, testing his theories, the exercise in firing the player – and the comparative success? His offering alerts for deals for Billy?

17. The deal, supplying names, the phone calls, playing managers and owners off each other?

18. The wins, the effect, for Billy, for the team? The record being broken for successive wins?

19. The last match, his returning, the loss, its effect on him?

20. Billy becoming more personal, learning to engage with the players?

21. The Boston owner, the offer of the position, more money, his refusing?

22. The final information and the success of the Oakland athletics?