I only
just caught this one at a discount theater – I hadn’t realized it going in, but
this movie has been out so long that the trailer for All the Money in the World during the previews still had Kevin
Spacey in it. Anyway, this film is only
up for one major award, best adapted screenplay, but I’m glad I had a chance to
see it (premise spoilers.)
Through
her intellectual curiosity, enterprising business sense, and natural drive,
Molly Bloom builds herself a tidy little kingdom running an exclusive
high-stakes poker game, first in L.A. and later in New York. Based on a true story, the film shows Molly’s
rise and fall, including the legal troubles that dog her as the FBI prepares to
investigate some of her players.
Charlie, her lawyer, tries to understand the decisions that led Molly to
where she is and why such a smart and careful woman doesn’t seem willing to
play ball with the FBI to her own advantage.
I’ll
admit that I haven’t seen a ton of Aaron Sorkin projects (my biggest look into his
work remains The Social Network,) but
the dialogue still stands out to me almost from the start as fitting his
style. The script is smart and snappy,
with the characters exchanging rapid-fire repartee in between copious
voiceovers from Molly that fill in details of her life as well as explaining
the odd nuance for poker novices (like me.)
There are times when the humor feels a little too pat or the big-drama
moments feel a bit overwrought, but on the whole, the film gives us a good
window into the characters, their headspace, and the world Molly built for
herself.
I knew
nothing about the real Bloom’s story going in – in fact, I think I only barely
knew that the film was based on a
true story – so I can’t tell you a thing about how well the film adapts the
events, other than Molly’s own admission that she’s changed every name but her
own, to protect her former clients/associates.
Molly has a book in the movie, and the book there is called Molly’s Game, like the film. If that’s Molly’s real book, then it would
seem the book doesn’t include anything about the court case, which is more a
parallel narrative than just a framing device to get into the poker-game
flashbacks. If that’s the case, I’m
guessing specific beats are based on real events from the case, but I don’t
know how much of the back-and-forth dynamic between Molly and Charlie is real
vs. invented.
Our two
leads, Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba, are both very good. As Molly, Chastain is steely, determined, and
resourceful, but she also nicely portrays the way Molly does genuinely care for
a lot of her players, which I like. And
Elba’s Charlie goes through some good evolution in his opinion of Molly as he
comes to understand her better. The film
also features Broadway guy Brian d’Arcy James in a small role and Michael Cera
as “Player X,” a stand-in for a real-life movie star who frequented Molly’s
table.
Warnings
Swearing,
drinking/smoking/drug use, violence, sexual references, and thematic elements.
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