Every once in a while, a brilliant sports film comes along that has all the elements of success going for it, and this first TV spot from LatinoReview.com definitely suggests that Moneyball will be the next one to succeed.

Adapted from the book by Michael Lewis of the same name, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, Moneyball is led by Brad Pitt and also stars Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The TV spot is probably the most inspirational 30 seconds of footage I’ve seen in a while, and it reminds me of those other great sports films that have come before it. In my opinion, good sports films are few and far between, but when they do come, they are excellent. Some might criticise them for their often formulaic nature, but when they’re made so well, it doesn’t much matter to me.

In the same vein as great sports films like Remember the Titans, Coach Carter, and last year’s Academy Award-winning The Fighter, Moneyball tells the story of an underdog that tries to go against the conventions of the system:

“Based on a true story, “Moneyball” is a movie for anybody who has ever dreamed of taking on the system. Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball’s conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It’s more than baseball, it’s a revolution – one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he’s tearing out the heart and soul of the game.”

Directed by Bennett Miller, who earned a Best Director Oscar nomination for Capote, on which he worked with Hoffman, Moneyball has been scripted by two exceptional Oscar-winning writers, Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Zaillian’s credits include Schindler’s List, Gangs of New York, American Gangster, and the upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake. Sorkin’s credits most notably include creating and writing the TV series The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and has more recently returned to film with last year’s critically acclaimed, The Social Network.

If you’ve seen any episodes of The West Wing, you’ll know that few do inspiration like Sorkin does, and Moneyball is definitely shaping up to be a great inspirational feel-good film. I’m a big fan of everything Brad Pitt does, and I can’t wait to see him take the lead on this. The first trailer for the film was released last month, and this first TV spot follows it up nicely, with a release date scheduled for 4th November this year. Without further ado, here it is.

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