Molly's Game

Molly’s Game

• Director: Aaron Sorkin
• Based on the book by Molly Bloom
• Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Jessica Chastain – Snow White Huntsmen Winter’s War, The Martian, Interstellar, The Help, The Tree of Life, Coriolanus, Veronica Mars
• Idris Elba – The Mountain Between Us, Pacific Rim, Prometheus, Thor, 28 Weeks Later, The Wire, Crocodile Shoes, Absolutely Fabulous
• Kevin Costner – Man of Steel, Swing Vote, Rumour Has It, The Postman, A Perfect World, Bodyguard. JFK, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Dances with Wolves, Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, Silverado, Stacy’s Knights
• Michael Cera – Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Juno, Veronica Mars
• Why?  Idris Elba
• Seen:  8 November 2019 

Fourth place in the Olympics is the worst thing that can happen in the sports world, according to Molly Bloom, who at the age of twenty crashes to end her skiing career. Twelve years later she is awakened by the FBI who arrest her for running illegal gambling.

We follow her road to that point. Rich celebrities who gamble. Flash forward to her lawyer Charlie (Elba), who doesn’t want to take her on because of her connections to the Russian mafia. Which she denies. He takes her on anyway.

Sorry, boring subject. Gambling, Russian mafia, big money, courtroom trials. Boring. Can Chastain and Elba save it?

Well, no. Chastain’s character is completely unlikeable (though she does it well) and Elba’s role is far too small. It’s just barely interesting enough to keep watching. These are really dreadful rich people. Why should we care?

There are enough interesting aspects, Chastain is good, and Elba is always good, so it’s not a complete flop, though I had so much looked forward to a serious drama. Oh well,

2 ½ * of 5