Post by mikef6 on Oct 10, 2017 1:31:33 GMT
Except for a nice supporting role from Jonah Hill as a computer nerd who is a genius at crunching baseball stats and ranking the results, this is a standard Unorthodox Coach Puts Together A Team Of Has-Beens And Misfits Sports Movie. Most of the dialog in the first half of the film is clunky and obvious. The screenplay has characters explaining plot points they already know to each other so we, the viewing audience, can keep up, viz. the opening scene where the team owner explains to Brad Pitt (and the audience) that they are a small market team and can't afford to pay good players.
Of course all this is Based On A True Story, but as with most BOATS and biography movies, life seems to follow the same old movie story arc. The team is formed against opposition from the Establishment. There is a training period where they do everything wrong. There is conflict among the team members. Then, they pull together. There is a montage of them winning games. The finale is the championship playoffs. Yawn. And this review is from a fan whose sport IS baseball.
Of course all this is Based On A True Story, but as with most BOATS and biography movies, life seems to follow the same old movie story arc. The team is formed against opposition from the Establishment. There is a training period where they do everything wrong. There is conflict among the team members. Then, they pull together. There is a montage of them winning games. The finale is the championship playoffs. Yawn. And this review is from a fan whose sport IS baseball.