The sports drama — rewritten by Aaron Sorkin (who just won an Oscar for ‘The Social Network) and directed by Bennett Miller — digs into Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), the general manager of the cash-strapped Oakland A’s. After the team loses many of its key players, Beane hires an economic genius (Jonah Hill) and they begin using advanced statistical analysis that gives them a hidden advantage over other, wealthier teams. Other supporting players include Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright, so while Hill mixed with Pitt might make this seem comedic, it is, indeed, a drama — one that’s attracting some great buzz and gushing about love and triumph.
Two moviegoers who caught an early screening shared their glowing responses with Hollywood Elsewhere. The first loved it, going so far as to call it “a triumph of storytelling, editing and a little bit of star power.” But the kicker is surprising casting twist Hill (who took over for Demetri Martin, another funnyman): “Hill is fantastic as a number-crunching nobody, and is really wonderful underplaying everything.” The second secret reviewer agrees, noting that Hill was “killing every scene he’s in.”
Read more/discuss. Thanks Sandra. No spoilers.
