Moneyball is a 2011 biographical sports drama film directed by Bennett Miller and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film is based on Michael Lewis' 2003 book of the same name, an account of the Oakland Athletics baseball team's 2002 season and their general manager Billy Beane's attempts to assemble a competitive team. In the film, Beane (Brad Pitt) and assistant GM Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), faced with the franchise's unfavorable financial situation, take a sophisticated sabermetric approach towards scouting and analyzing players, acquiring"submarine" pitcher Chad Bradford (Casey Bond) and former catcher Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt), and winning 20 consecutive games, an American League record.
Columbia Pictures bought the rights to Lewis' book in 2004.[4] After a number of years in development, the film was featured at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival[5] and was released on September 23, 2011 to critical acclaim.[6]
Plot
Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is upset by his team's loss to theNew York Yankees in the 2001 postseason. With the impending departure of star playersJohnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen to free agency, Beane attempts to devise a strategy for assembling a competitive team for 2002 but struggles to overcome Oakland's limited player payroll. During a visit to the Cleveland Indians, Beane meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a young Yale economics graduate with radical ideas about how to assess players' value. Beane tests Brand's theory by asking whether he would have drafted him, Beane having been a Major League player before becoming general manager. Though scouts considered Beane a phenomenal player, his career in the Major Leagues was disappointing. After some prodding, Brand admits that he would not have drafted him until the ninth round and that Beane would probably have gone to college instead. Sensing opportunity, Beane hires Brand as the Athletics' assistant general manager.
The team's scouts are first dismissive of and then hostile towards Brand's non-traditionalsabermetric approach to scouting players. Rather than relying on the scouts' experience and intuition, Brand selects players based almost exclusively on their on base percentage (OBP). By finding players with a high OBP but characteristics that lead scouts to dismiss them, Brand assembles a team of undervalued players with far more potential than the A's hamstrung finances would otherwise allow. Despite vehement objections from the scouts, Beane supports Brand's theory and hires the players he selected, such as unorthodox submarine pitcher Chad Bradford (Casey Bond). Following the free agent signings, Beane finds that he also faces opposition from Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the Athletics' manager. With tensions already high between them because of a contract dispute, Howe disregards Beane and Brand's strategy and plays the team in a traditional style despite their unsuitability. Beane is eventually forced to trade away the lone traditional star player (Carlos Peña) to force Howe to use the new recruits.
Early in the season, the Athletics fare poorly, leading critics within and outside the team to dismiss the new method as a dismal failure. Beane convinces the owner to stay the course, and eventually the team's record begins to improve. Ultimately, the Athletics win an unprecedented 20 consecutive games, setting the American League record. Their streak is capped with a victory over the Kansas City Royals. Like many baseball players, Beane is superstitious and avoids attending or sometimes even following games as they are in progress. His family convinces him to go to the A's game against the Royals, as Oakland is already leading 11–0 after the third inning and appears set to continue their winning streak. Beane arrives, only to watch the team go to pieces and allow the Royals to even the score. Finally, the A's do clinch the victory with a walk-off home run by one of Brand's picks, Scott Hatteberg. Despite all their success, the A's lose in the first round of the postseason, this time to theMinnesota Twins. Beane is disappointed, but satisfied at having demonstrated the value of his and Brand's methods.
In closing, the film notes that Beane passed up the opportunity to become the general manager of the Boston Red Sox, despite an offer of $12.5 million a year salary, which would have made him the highest paid GM in baseball history. Also noted is Boston's World Series victory soon after in 2004, based on the theories that Beane pioneered.
Cast
Production
Stan Chervin developed the first initial drafts of the screenplay after Columbia Pictures bought rights to Lewis's book in 2004, however, once Brad Pitt committed to the project in 2007 Chervin dropped out. Steve Zaillian was signed to write a second screenplay, and David Frankelwas signed to direct.[10] Steven Soderbergh was subsequently signed to replaced Frankel.[11] When asked how the film would dramatize and make entertaining a book about statistics, Soderbergh said:
I think we have a way in, making it visual and making it funny. I want it to be really funny and entertaining, and I want you to not realize how much information is being thrown at you because you're having fun. We've found a couple of ideas on how to bust the form a bit, in order for all that information to reach you in a way that's a little oblique.[12]
Scott Hatteberg and David Justice were slated to play themselves in the movie.[13]
On June 19, 2009, days before filming was set to begin, Sony put the picture on hold.[11][14] Zaillian's and Soderbergh's plan for the film called for elements considered non-traditional for a sports movie, such as interviews with real-life players. Soderbergh was dismissed, and was ultimately replaced by Bennett Miller.[15] Aaron Sorkin wrote a third version of the screenplay,[11][15] which turned the character of Paul DePodesta, to have been portrayed by Demetri Martin, into a composite character, for which Jonah Hill was cast.
Filming began in July 2010.[16] Filming locations included Fenway Park, the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, Dodger Stadium and Blair Field,[17]while studio shooting took place at Sony's Culver City studios.
- Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics
- Jonah Hill as Peter Brand, Beane's assistant general manager
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe, the manager of the Oakland Athletics
- Chris Pratt as Scott Hatteberg, A's first baseman
- Casey Bond as Chad Bradford, A's submarine relief pitcher
- Stephen Bishop as David Justice, A's outfielder
- Royce Clayton as Miguel Tejada, A's shortstop
- David Hutchison as John Mabry, A's utility player
- Kathryn Morris as Tara Beane
- Robin Wright as Sharon, Beane's ex-wife and mother of Casey
- Kerris Dorsey as Casey BeaneCast notes
- "Peter Brand" is a composite character partly based on Paul DePodesta, who did not want his name used in the film.[7][8]
- Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, makes an uncredited cameo appearance as former A's owner Stephen Schott.[9]
- Spike Jonze has a small uncredited role as Alán, Sharon's spouse. Jonze directed Being John Malkovich, in which Pitt makes a cameo appearance and produced Synecdoche, New York, starring Hoffman.
- Musician Joe Satriani appears as himself, performing the Star-Spangled Banner on electric guitar.
Stan Chervin developed the first initial drafts of the screenplay after Columbia Pictures bought rights to Lewis's book in 2004, however, once Brad Pitt committed to the project in 2007 Chervin dropped out. Steve Zaillian was signed to write a second screenplay, and David Frankelwas signed to direct.[10] Steven Soderbergh was subsequently signed to replaced Frankel.[11] When asked how the film would dramatize and make entertaining a book about statistics, Soderbergh said:
I think we have a way in, making it visual and making it funny. I want it to be really funny and entertaining, and I want you to not realize how much information is being thrown at you because you're having fun. We've found a couple of ideas on how to bust the form a bit, in order for all that information to reach you in a way that's a little oblique.[12]
Scott Hatteberg and David Justice were slated to play themselves in the movie.[13]
On June 19, 2009, days before filming was set to begin, Sony put the picture on hold.[11][14] Zaillian's and Soderbergh's plan for the film called for elements considered non-traditional for a sports movie, such as interviews with real-life players. Soderbergh was dismissed, and was ultimately replaced by Bennett Miller.[15] Aaron Sorkin wrote a third version of the screenplay,[11][15] which turned the character of Paul DePodesta, to have been portrayed by Demetri Martin, into a composite character, for which Jonah Hill was cast.
Filming began in July 2010.[16] Filming locations included Fenway Park, the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, Dodger Stadium and Blair Field,[17]while studio shooting took place at Sony's Culver City studios.
Reception
Critical reception
Moneyball has received almost universal acclaim. The review tallying website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 164 of the tallied 173 reviews were positive, for a score of 95% and a certification of "fresh" stating: "Director Bennett Miller, along with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, take a niche subject and turn it into a sharp, funny, and touching portrait worthy of baseball lore". 38 out of 39 of the sites tallied reviews from "top critics" (members of major news outlets or other critics the site considers prominent) have been positive.[18] In comparison, Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the film an average score of 87 based on 41 reviews.[19]
The film has received a similarly positive response from audiences. A CinemaScore analysis found that people who had just seen the film gave it an average letter score of 'A'.[20]
Moneyball has received almost universal acclaim. The review tallying website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 164 of the tallied 173 reviews were positive, for a score of 95% and a certification of "fresh" stating: "Director Bennett Miller, along with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, take a niche subject and turn it into a sharp, funny, and touching portrait worthy of baseball lore". 38 out of 39 of the sites tallied reviews from "top critics" (members of major news outlets or other critics the site considers prominent) have been positive.[18] In comparison, Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the film an average score of 87 based on 41 reviews.[19]
The film has received a similarly positive response from audiences. A CinemaScore analysis found that people who had just seen the film gave it an average letter score of 'A'.[20]
Top ten lists
The film has appeared on the following critics' top ten lists for the best films of 2011:
CriticPublicationRank
Awards and honors
The film has appeared on the following critics' top ten lists for the best films of 2011:
CriticPublicationRank
- Ann Hornaday The Washington Post 3rd[21]
- Peter Travers Rolling Stone 4th[22]
- David Fear Time Out New York 4th[23]
- N/A TV Guide 6th[23]
- Marshall Fine Hollywood & Fine 6th[23]
- Betsy Sharkey Los Angeles Times 7th[23]
- Robbie Collin The Telegraph 8th[23]
- Dave McCoy MSN Movies 8th[23]
- Kim Lorgan MSN Movies 8th[23]
- Richard T. Jameson MSN Movies 10th[23]
- Stephen Holden The New York Times 10th[23]
Awards and honors
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Film Institute | Movies of the Year | Won | |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Award | Best Actor | Brad Pitt | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian | Won | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards[24] | Best Picture | Pending | |
| Best Actor | Brad Pitt | Pending | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin | Pending | |
| New York Film Critics Circle | Best Actor | Brad Pitt also for The Tree of Life | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian | Won | |
| People's Choice Awards[25] | Favorite Drama Movie | Pending | |
| Satellite Awards | Motion Picture | Pending | |
| Actor in a Motion Picture | Brad Pitt | Pending | |
| Actor in a Supporting Role | Jonah Hill | Pending | |
| Adapted Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin, Steve Zaillian, Stan Chervin | Pending | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture - Drama | Pending | |
| Best Actor - Drama | Brad Pitt | Pending | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jonah Hill | Pending | |
| Best Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian | Pending | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Brad Pitt | Pending |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Jonah Hill | Pending |
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