The Gambler (2014)

If a movie has Mark Wahlberg as an actor playing in it, then usually you already know the movie is going to be good. This movie did not disappoint. Great acting and great movie.

The simple math adds up.He's in debt over $200,000 to Lee from the beginning of the film (-200,000) + PointsHe's in debt to Neville $50,000 (-$250,000) + PointsHe's in debt $260,000 to Frank (-$510,000) + PointsHe adds another $150,000 of debt from Lee (-$660.000) + Points and gives it to Lamar to throw gameHe bets the full $260,000 against Lamar and wins (a spread bet is usually -110), so let's assume that holds and he is paid out $234,000 from that bet at -110 odds (-660,000) (+$494,000) = (-166,000)The courier doesn't take the $50,000 offered, citing his clean history, so that is not spent (-$660,000) (+494,000) = (-166,000)He then pays back Neville w/ Points (interest) so let's assume he owes a total of $100,000k (-$710,000) = owing (-$610,000) (+394,000) = (-206,000)He claims he has enough to payback Lee (which he DOES NOT) at owing him $350,000 + Points (interest), which we can assume he owes him $450,000 after a week + owing Frank $250,000 + Points (interest) assuming $300,000.By betting the entire $394,000 remaining on Black, he in fact doubles it to $788,000, which pays off Lee (788,000 - $450,000) = $334,000 and Frank $300,000 which leaves $34,000 (The Cream on Top),

I really liked this move. I saw it last week on DVD and it's a film I'd highly recommend. It's more nuanced than the original 1974 film but no less enthralling. A reviewer named Jon Handson said that he saw this sort of thing all of the time when he worked in a casino. I myself have been to a couple of casinos. Once in Monaco and once in Vegas. Both of them are filled with glitzy bling and beautiful babes. But women want a winner, not a loser. That's what Wahlberg's character is, a loser. He knows this and by the end of the movie he's willing to sacrifice his life (And Perhaps His Family's Lives With The Spin Of A Roulette Wheel) in order to break even. He even does a double deal at the end which allows him to more than square with his backer (Played Wonderfully By Goodman). Yet to see him walk away from $50,000 or more makes me cringe. Why not buy stocks or CD's that are untouchable and have Fcuk you money as Goodman says throughout the movie? But it meant that he did not trust himself not to gamble when in possession of large amounts of cash. Too bad. I wish I had that amount of money.Buy this and you won't be disappointed. I rate it higher than the Four Stars I gave the James Caan (1974) original simply because I liked the multicultural aspect and the script was more nuanced than the original version. Four and a Half Stars is my rate. I'm the 4848th to review this film. Maybe I'll play that number in my pick four lottery! LOL!A. Nathaniel Wallace, Jr.As others have pointed out this is a slow movie. Despite its slowness it is not at all a boring movie. I liked the Korean and African American mob angles as well as the good old-fashioned Irish mob angle. Each gangster gets paid off in the end but I gotta wonder why these guys would front a man so much money when they knew he was already in so deep of a hole! Why would Wahlberg's mother not have paid the gamblers off herself instead of giving him the money which he then proceeded to gamble away. Money to a chronic gambler is like heroin to an opiate-addicted person. They cannot resist the pull of drugs. It will always be with them. But gambling addiction can be kicked. My Grandfather kicked the habit in the 1950's and put himself through his own four-step program. It worked and he never again gambled (Not Even When Lotteries Became Legal) for the remaining 55 years of his life. It can be done. yet one has to wonder why Wahlberg's character did not or would not request help a lot sooner; before he got so deeply in debt! That includes taking the money from his Mother.

It was a different type of movie for Marky Marky. His character is really apathetic and skinny in this and owes a lot of money , so it’s not a typical body-builder-Boston-drama Mark Walkberg movie.

I was never really sympathetic to Wahlberg's character throughout the entire movie. He is destroying his life and will bring down everyone standing too close when it finally crashes down around him. I see where they were going with him, but I do not believe that he would change his ways that quickly.The movie is worth a watch. I enjoyed Jessica Lange as the mother, and her scenes with Mark Wahlberg. I think the writing is a bit dense, and every character seems to have the same pithy observations around the world around them. Michael Kenneth Williams's gangster and John Goodman's gangster could be the same person inhabiting two different bodies. Alvin Ing's gangster would be a third body for this same consciousness.The payoff at the end of the movie is good, but I think the main character would have let it ride again and end up losing doubly. I don't think he would break himself from that high so easily.

Enjoyable and entertaining... unexpectedly. Kept my interest though I could have done without the "romance story"...unnecessary & a waste of film. She really had no place in the movie that otherwise was a game between very flawed gentlemen. John Goodman's character was the most interesting with good dialog. Mark's character had a bit too much anger toward innocent people, though generally it's the character. The watch sale scene was particularly uncomfortable because it seemed pretty racist and I was surprised. It wasn't necessary to the plot to perpetrate a stereotype. He could have chosen to make the exact same scene without doing so. Given that so many of different groups were represented here without being treated in a stereotypical way it was glaring. There also seemed to be an unnecessary attempt to explain the main characters choices emotionally that didn't really make sense. Always enjoy Jessica Lange who never seems to hit a sour note. All that aside, it was interesting and the timing was good so it kept up the suspense. The directing and editing did a good job with that.

'Jim Bennett' (MarK Wahlberg) is a Literature Professor who teaches college students, a solid day job, trouble ishe leads a double-life, he's a compulsive gambler who plays for high-stakes which has led to him borrowinglarge sums of money from the casino owner 'Mr Lee' (Alvin Ing) to feed his adiction.When 'Mr Lee' calls in the debt, 'Mark' has just 7 days to come up with the cash, he turns to a local gangster'Melvin' ( Michael Kenneth Williams' to give him a stake hoping to win this time, but loses.His debt is running out of control, he now owe's two serious players, if he doesn't pay up both he and those hecares about are at risk.At college he picks up with student 'Amy' ( Brie Larson) who will be among those that suffer if he doesn't comeup with the cash.He turns to his wealthy mother 'Roberta' ( Jessica Lange) for help, however she's grown tired of bailing her sonout.....With time running out 'Roberta' has a change of heart but makes it clear 'no-more' ....true to form 'Mark' blowsit.The only avenue he has left is the lone-shark 'Frank' (John Goodman) who had offered help before, but, he toowill want his money back.He owes more than he can possibly ever pay back, he'll now risk all to make a killing to repay the mounting debt.Will he sink or swim ??This is a gritty and dark tale, which is far better than i had expected, i took the advice of a fellow reviewer to give ita go, glad i did.There are brief scenes of partial nudity and a large dose of strong language along the way.Worth a Spin.Features -Mr Self Destruct - Inside The GamblerDark before Dawn - The Decent of The GamblerChanging the Game - AdaptationIn the City - LocationsDressing the Players - Costume DesignDeleted / Extended Scenes

I didn't really like it as much as four stars but credited some good performances. Mark Wahlberg must be credited for his performance as he made me totally dislike him from the opening scenes (good that they were) with his total irresponsibility and stupidity in his not being able to quit while ahead, but this well portrays anyone addicted to something, they not being able to do so. I found myself wishing that the gangsters would bump him off! I normally like John Goodman but one of his speeches to Wahlberg must be credited as the most incomprehensible set of babblings and cursings that I have ever heard. All in all though, worth getting to the end for the happier ending Wahlberg's character didn't deserve.

Personal entertainment

Disappointing. I saw an excerpt on YouTube and that was as good as it got. Basically its a story of an irritating self destructive twerp

Not as good wot I theort