‘Moneyball’ is consistently smart and funny

In 2002, the Oakland A’s put together a winning baseball team with less than a third of the budget of the New York Yankees. In doing so, they defied all conventional logic and forever changed the way teams are put together.

“Moneyball” stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, former athlete-turned-general manager of the A’s. Disillusioned by the state of baseball, where the teams with the most money attract the best players, Beane is not only losing three star players, but knows his miniscule budget will assure that the A’s can’t compete with even mid-range teams. It’s the same system that recruited Beane out of high school, practically guaranteeing that he'd be a star. Having gone through it, he understands why the approach is flawed. He just doesn't know how to fix it.

That's where Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) comes in. A graduate in economics from Yale and an expert statistician, Brand creates a strategy for finding players who are flawed but still have the ability to get on base. Facing opposition from recruiters and even their own head coach, the two eventually manage to prove themselves, resulting in an unprecedented 20-game winning streak.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this film, which is more a character study than a straightforward sports movie. Though it occasionally slips into inspirational-movie mode, winning is never the be-all and end-all.

Pitt is compelling as usual, and while Hill doesn't have the same intensity, he is more than able to keep up. The two are an interesting pair to watch onscreen; the give-and-take between the damaged but strong-willed former athlete and the slightly nerdy Ivy Leaguer is consistently smart and funny. Both have personal challenges. For Beane, it’s standing up to opposition and becoming more personally involved with his team. For Brand, it’s becoming confident in himself and his formula.

The film shares some similarities with last year's “Social Network,” including the script, penned by Aaron Sorkin, and the music. It lacks the slickness of David Fincher's direction, but that's OK. Director Bennett Miller takes an understated approach, relying on Pitt to drive the action forward.

Clearly, we've reached that point in the year when the big blockbusters of the summer make way for the obvious Oscar contenders. Pitt is sure to get some coverage for his role here. The direction, though bright, sometimes lacks visual flair, but the excellent script and performances pick up the slack. “Moneyball” is a great film, and it's also a fun watch.

Also in Theaters

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50/50

Based on the real-life friendship of Seth Rogan and screenwriter Will Reiser, this comedy stars Joseph Gordon Levitt as a 27-year-old man who is diagnosed with cancer. While it doesn't sound like a premise ripe for comedy, Reiser uses his own awkward experiences with others as the basis for much of the humor (“If you were a casino game, you’d have the best odds”). Rogan is thankfully relegated to the best-friend role, where he ably delivers jokes and quips to cheer up his pal. Levitt gets a chance to show off both his comedic and dramatic chops, and he does so splendidly. It's nice after a summer of high-concept comedies to enjoy one where the humor is derived from the characters themselves, rather than outrageous situations. You get a lower- key approach, but genuine humor that comes from a real place.

What's Your Number?

After reading an article that says women who have had 20 or more lovers will never marry, Anny (Anna Faris) decides to hunt down her 19 exes to find out what went wrong before she meets her 20th. The premise sure is dumb, isn't it? I mean, what woman would seriously spend weeks tracking down each individual ex-boyfriend on the advice of a magazine article? If you're willing to accept this, maybe you're daft enough to think her best friend and neighbor, played by Chris Evans, isn't going to end up with Anny at the end. The wacky ex-boyfriends are played by good comic performers, but the characters are one-note at best. For a movie advertising itself as the next “Bridesmaids,” “What’s Your Number?” ends up falling into the same expectations that “Bridesmaids” worked hard to defy. The sad part is that Anna Faris is not Kate Hudson or Kathryn Heigl. She's a genuine comedic talent who deserves a better role than this. She's 100 percent game, though, and that may be the only redeeming factor in an otherwise stale comedy.

New on DVD

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Marking the third and hopefully last in the “Transformers” franchise, “Dark of the Moon” does little to address the problems of the first sequel. It lacks plot or character development and has confusing action sequences filled with quick cuts, all signatures of director Michael Bay. The human characters are one-dimensional, but that's nothing compared to the Transformers themselves, who are practically indistinguishable from one another in both personality and appearance. The movie doesn't bother itself much with story, lazily jumping from one moment to the next with no hint of where it's heading. The most interesting aspect of the Transformers – the ability to transform – is barely explored. The whole film ends in an hour-long action sequence that’s as confusing as it is boring. Fans of the originals may be interested, but others should stay away from this one.