The Gambler is a 2014 American crime drama film directed by Rupert Wyatt.
Jim Bennett (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 puts his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (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..
Awards
- Nominated, Black Reel Awards 2015 – Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture
Review/s
…The way he (Rupert Wyatt) paints this world, the way he follows Jim
through it, the way the camera keeps putting us right in the most uncomfortable
seat for the gambling, both the wins and the losses. Just as important is the
score by Jon Brion and Theo Green, peppered with lots of song uses that are
well-curated if occasionally on the nose. This is a film that is quietly
confident. Everything's well-composed. Everything's put
together right.