100-Word Movie Review (Oscar Edition): “Moneyball”

Moneyball

Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Summary: The manager of the Oakland Athletics hires a “numbers man” to develop a new way of revamping their struggling team.

100-Word Movie Review: Moneyball is the least sentimental sports movie I can remember seeing, an interesting look at economic privilege and the way managers struggle to level the playing field of a losing game. Any non-Yankee fan would appreciate the searing commentary on the way that team’s payroll dominates professional baseball. Brad Pitt gives a solid, engaging lead performance, while Jonah Hill earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for, essentially, not playing the same part he always does and doing a semi-decent job of it, though I can think of at least six actors who should have been nominated in that category instead.