mekjd
Our protagonist is in trouble plenty. It is not enough that he is the heir to one of the richest men in the state, that he has met with success as a writer, and that he is a college teacher. He must work out his own salvation through his own self-destruction, burning his loan sharks(s) (there are several), his family, and his none-too-bright student, with whom he engages in more self-destruction by having sex with her.Yet the line must be drawn somewhere. He is unwilling to sacrifice the life of one of his student athletes, who initially resists a loan shark's offer of easy money, then gives in, and then switches to get a better deal. And, yes! He plays great ball. Then he plays flaccid ball. Then he plays great ball!And all are redeemed.Uh-huh. The sole redemptive moment in the story is John Goodman's character's "F*ck You" speech, which is an illustration of what an idiot the protagonist has been by squandering more than two million, when he could have lived modestly and told the world, "F*ck You!." Goodman really delivers on this, and the moving is worth watching just to catch the wisdom he imparts.A big fan of Mark Wahlberg, I am not sure that as a kid from Southie he is quite able to carry off the look of the disaffected and dissipated rich. Better will be forthcoming, I do hope.
jaw1907
Great cast, Great cinematography, Great musical score....don't get why this film never received the respect it deserved. Mark, Brie and Goodman at their best.
LyzSkyBronze
In my opinion (and anyone is free to argue with it), I believe that a great character can carry a less-than-satisfactory story, but that a great story falls through with inferior characters.Of course, the perfect combination would be for a film to have both story and character, but The Gambler, for me, undeniably fits the former description. Despite the rather high rating I'm not going to say that the plot was perfect, or that the setting was perfectly accurate for the subject matter. The plot did indeed have some flaws, and some of them were not entirely believable or fully explained, not to mention that anyone looking for a movie that revolves around gambling will be sorely disappointed. However, fans of Mark Wahlberg will more than likely find the film entertaining and a captivating ride. Wahlberg delivers an exceptionally strong performance as Jim Bennett, who runs toward rather than away from problems, has a rather skewed list of priorities, and very black-and-white opinions. It was refreshing to see such a different role played by Wahlberg, and even though the character's message and disposition is one that can be far from likable, it was certainly exciting to watch. Supporting cast Lange, Larson and Goodman also get their moments to shine, both by being expressive foils of Bennett as well as delivering artful pieces of dialog. Overall, the film delivers if you're looking for great acting and an entertaining and stylish- if not entirely realistic- story. The film falls a little flat getting across a lasting message or showcasing the highest standard of film making, but it does portray an intriguing perspective on personality, human nature, and how one chooses to live their life. Don't expect stunning originality or excess sophistication, but do sit back, relax, and enjoy the acting, dialogue, and bright moments the film delivers.
Asif Khan (asifahsankhan)
You can't accuse me of The-Original-Is-Always-Bettering director Rupert Wyatt's remake of "The Gambler." I've seen Karel Reisz's 1974 original with James Caan but Mark Wahlberg's version doesn't disappointed all on its own. One thing I will say, though, is that Wahlberg is as good as his Oscar-nominated role in The Departed."The Gambler" - Rather than just be a simple thriller against inevitability, however, The Gambler does a great job showing how low Jim is and the allure of addiction that put him there. Toback wrote how his original script spoke to many who were caught in the lifestyle just like he was and if Monahan's version is even half as effective I believe it. There's a palpable danger underlying each frame and not just because of the hardened criminals popping in regularly to flex muscle. When Lange's Roberta returns to buy her son out of trouble one last time you can't help get the wind knocked out of you as a result of her heartbreaking performance. This is the sight of a loved one helpless to do anything when the only solution she can provide is a huge part of the problem.It's crazy to think someone so ill-equipped to be a teacher in The Happening can believably pull it off in The Gambler, but here we are. A lot of it has to do with the type of person the character is because Wahlberg excels at troubled, fast-talking con men like the Jim Bennett behind his nameplate's occupation. It's one thing to be innocently excited about science and bees and a complete other to engage a room of co-eds with straight talk to humanise star tennis player Dexter (Emory Cohen) and basketball prodigy Lamar (Anthony Kelley) while also admitting the world's commodification of them. There's little Gray area for Jim, you either have it or you don't no matter the vocation. Life has always been all or nothing for him, gambling simply dis-tills it to a starker black and white.
AD
