Moneyball

A year after the world applauded Sorkin's screenplay for The Social Network, another story full of rapid-fire dialogues, technical terms, and a suppression of obvious emotions to a minimum came. Although comparing Facebook to baseball is difficult, this calculated approach and, in the case of the author, this quick bet on certainty already undermines Moneyball from the very beginning. And even though it looks almost effortless in its technically precise environment and occasional family scenes can work, I didn't get enough of it. I understand the pursuit of exceptionalism and the desire for a forgotten dream, but the film remains halfway between a love confession for sports statistics and a demonstration that being a general manager is no joke. Precise 70%, especially for one of Brad Pitt's career performances. (22/02/2012)

Statistics are boring, but carry valuable information and in the form of a baseball version of The Social Network, it isn’t boring at all. This is as much about baseball as Fincher is about Facebook; in other words, not at all. Despite this, this category is still ruled by The Damned United which is basically the same in a more inventive form of directing and, thanks to the setting, is also a little closer in cultural terms for a European. (01/12/2011)

The best and most entertaining baseball film I’ve ever seen. Before watching it, I wasn’t expecting it to deliver a great experience because baseball is all Dutch to me, but the fears were unwarranted. Brad Pitt’s great performance and the equally great script didn’t allow my attention to stray away. Thumbs up and I’m rooting for Brad at the Oscars. (16/12/2011)

Very smart and cleverly directed, without unnecessary arrogance and artificially heightened emotions. A bit reminiscent of Any Given Sunday, but far less controversial. It must be said that Moneyball also relies on its actors, especially on Brad Pitt (he’s ageing like fine wine) and the young Jonah Hill (excellent potential). I lacks drive, but it's not that they forgot about it, it simply wasn't part of the plan. An unconventional sports film. (29/01/2012)

I don’t understand baseball, I don’t even like it (I only know the Red Sox because of Stephen Kind and Lost) and I doubt that this sport has any sense to it. I like baseball bats (for personal reasons), but that’s not enough to make me able to watch a movie about baseball. So, who did all the work, who made me like the movie? Brad Pitt, who plays a guy who keeps on losing, but keeps on trying, makes bad decisions, knows that but still he keeps on trying until he takes a last, desperate step and starts to listen to a fat accountant. Perfect dialogs, decent humor, excellent actors. It couldn’t have been filmed better, in my opinion. (18/12/2011)