Moneyball

Lessons From a Great Movie

Only yesterday, I wrote about how I wasn't watching many movies. I said that, these days, most of my time is spent flicking through YouTube.

But the algorithm Gods happened to serve up a clip of 'Moneyball' on my feed - and it felt right to immediately stop what I was doing and to go watch the film.

Film watching is a lot like running long distances. The idea of going out and jogging every night is daunting, until you start doing it, and then it soon becomes the best thing in your life.

I LOVE films. But recently, I've lost the engine for it. Not only has life got busy, but attention span has fractured.

After yesterday's post, a creative friend text me. He said: "My film/TV watching, reading and writing have dropped off a cliff this year haha".

Was comforting to know I'm not the only one. Something is shifting in the culture. New movies might be crap, which explains why we're watching less of them; but why are we watching less of the old films we love?

But one great movie will always bring you back home.

I always liked 'Moneyball'. I'm an Aaron Sorkin diehard and know most of his writing by heart. But I didn't realise just how much I love Moneyball until just now, when I watched it again.

It was only made in 2011 but already, somehow, it feels nostalgic to watch. Feels like it was made in the good old days. Maybe 2011 were the good old days. Who knew?

Brad Pitt is incredible in the film. The confidence of his acting is remarkable. He's never forcing you to like him. He's never drilling home the drama of a scene. He trusts the moment. Trusts his voice. Trusts the script and trusts the story. When you think he's going to yell, he's calm. When you think he's going to get serious, he has a smile on his face. People spend thousands going to drama school but sometimes I wonder if young actors would be better off just watching someone like Pitt.

'Moneyball' works because it captures something about life that we all know and feel.

Life has roadblocks. And most of the time we try to get through the tough times by.... doing the same things we've always done.

But like Pitt says in the film:

'Adapt or Die'.

If the Oakland A's keep playing ball the same way they always have, they're gonna sink.

So a new way is needed. And it's going to be rough.

But to forge a new path, you have to take risks. You have to be prepared to fail.

'Moneyball' resonates because Billy Beane does the things that deep down in our hearts we know we need to do, but seldom have the guts.

I guarantee that whoever you are, whatever you do, there's some path you know you need to take. But something stops you. Probably the thought of looking silly, of disappointing people, of failing.

'Moneyball' is about taking an educated gamble. Doing something you believe in. It has to be big enough that you may fail, but equally, you may make the impact you always dreamed of.