Molly’s Game (2017, R)

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.