Moneyball

On 4 January 2011 I made a calendar entry to be on the lookout for the eponymous film version of Michael Lewis's book. The book was grand reading fun, for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative style, the language and its expert use, and the story. I felt as if it was unnecessary to know baseball to enjoy the story (though, of course, it added a dimension to know the sport). Thus, when I read about the film, I looked forward to seeing it.

Finally, last night I watched it, and I was disappointed. Critics liked it. Manohla Dargis of the NY Times praised it: The hungry heart of “Moneyball,” a movie about baseball in the digital age, is a beautiful hard case named Billy Beane. Coiled yet cool, Billy has the liquid physical grace and bright eyes of a predator. He was built to win. Even his name, with its short syllabic bursts, sounds ready for ESPN exultations. That he’s played by Brad Pittgiving the quintessential Brad Pitt performance just seals the deal.. The LA Times critic also liked it, Pitt and Seymour Hoffman (who returns here, letter-perfect as Oakland Manager Art Howe - I thought he was completely miscast), and Ebert does, too (I walked in knowing what the movie was about, but unprepared for its intelligence and depth.) I wasn't too impressed.