Gleeman: Review of the ‘Moneyball’ Movie
From SABR member Aaron Gleeman at Hardball Talk on September 13, 2011:
Last night I attended an advance screening of the “Moneyball” movie, which is set for a wide release on September 23.
I’ve read Michael Lewis’ book twice and consider it some of the best, most important baseball writing of all time, but I was never quite sure how exactly it could be turned into a compelling narrative film. And I’m still not sure, but I do know that it was definitely an enjoyable two hours.
As a hardcore baseball fan who paid close attention to Billy Beane and the A’s during the period portrayed in the film there were a lot of specifics that stood out as questionable, particularly in terms of the movie’s time lines and exaggerated portrayals of certain characters (although the book is guilty of the latter as well).
However, what the movie lacked in historical accuracy it made up for in witty dialogue, likable characters, and a surprising amount of humor. I saw the movie in a packed theater and there were at least 8-10 moments where the entire audience laughed out loud, which certainly isn’t what I expected.
Read the full article here: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/13/moneyball-review/
Originally published: September 13, 2011. Last Updated: September 13, 2011.