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December 25, 2014
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The Gambler Risks Audience Engagement Despite Great Performances

— Posted by Kenny Miles
Genre: Crime | Drama | ThrillerDirected by: Rupert WyattStarring:Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman Written by: William Monahan (screenplay), James Toback

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
Starring:Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman
Written by: William Monahan (screenplay), James Toback

 

Jim Bennett (Academy Award (R)-nominee Mark Wahlberg) is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Academy Award (R)-winner Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett’s future. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance… (C) Paramount

 

 

The Gambler remake is a stylish, adult skewing thriller we didn’t ask for on Christmas and doesn’t fit the mood of the Holiday. I didn’t understand the timing of the release behind this. It seems last minute and rushed. At times, The Gambler is a multi-layered character study focusing on Jim Bennett who balances both English teaching and gambling. His students, who see his other side, put his professional career and life at risk. We keep waiting for things to happen in The Gambler without the payoff of risking our time and money.

 

 

Besides these performances, I didn't find THE GAMBLER very engaging.

Besides these performances, I didn’t find THE GAMBLER very engaging.

 

My issue with The Gambler wasn’t Mark Wahlberg. He was very good in a rare display of his true talent. Keep up good work like this. Likewise, John Goodman was terrific in his outstanding supporting role. I wish he was in more of the movie and more movies in general. Besides these performances, I didn’t find this movie very engaging. Brie Larson wasn’t utilized to her potential we have seen in Short Term 12 or even Don Jon for that matter. We meander through the plot to get to a big moments that don’t really pay off. (I did like the climax revolving around an important basketball game.)

 

This is the fifth movie adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Gambler. This version felt like a pointless journey that needed a modern adaptation. Director Rupert Wyatt (2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) and writer William Monahan (The Departed) collaborate for this crime drama that should not have been this disappointing. All the talent interjected in the movie left to mixed results. It is still a good movie that avoids greatness. It is such a shame it doesn’t reach higher.

 

I rate The Gambler a 6 out of 10.

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who has written 299 posts on The Movie Blog

Whether something is overlooked by Hollywood or whatever business trend has captured the Entertainment Industry’s attention, Kenny Miles loves to talk about movies (especially the cultural impact of a film). He covers various aspects of movies including specialty genre films, limited release, independent, foreign language, documentary features, and THE much infamous "awards season." Also, he likes to offer his opinion on the business of film, marketing strategy, and branding. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado and is a member of the Denver Film Critics Society critics group. When he isn’t writing, Kenny channels his passion for interacting with moviegoers (something most movie pundits lack) as a pollster for the market research company CinemaScore and working as floor staff/special events coordinator in the film community. You can follow him on Twitter @kmiles723.

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  • http://northierthanthou.com/ northierthanthou.com

    Interesting to see you endorse Wahlberg’s performance. I have a hard time seeing him as an educator. So, I’ll be pleasantly surprised if, as you suggest, he actually pulls it off.

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