Molly's Game (2017)

For me, stories that focus on poker are, well, gambles. I liked the 2006 Casino Royale overall, but I thought scenes at the namesake were the weak points. Maverick couldn't get me excited about the climax. Rounders dizzied me a little. Maybe that's why I put off seeing this recommendation. Nevertheless, it was one of the most familiar titles left on my Netflix list, and I was in the mood for a change of pace.

This is based on a true story, but only the protagonist is identified by her real name. In the 2000s, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) becomes a secretary for "Dean" (Jeremy Strong), a real estate developer who also runs high-stakes underground poker games, where she collects huge tips. Since Dean is almost impossible to work with, Molly starts her own classy casino in a hotel room. She tries to keep everything strictly legal at first, but one desperate slip is enough to get unwelcome attention. Oddly enough, her worst legal trouble comes years after she discontinues her practice, when the FBI wants to strong-arm her into telling on criminal customers. Despite her lack of accessible funds, she persuades expensive attorney "Charlie" (Idris Elba) to defend her.

It may sound like I gave away late plot points, but this film is not linear, so you would learn as much before long. In addition to jumping between her poker years and the aftermath, we get glimpses of her childhood and young adulthood, dominated by the pressures of an ambitious father (Kevin Costner) and her competitive skiing. If not for the basis in truth, I'd wonder why the makers bothered with the ski detail; it makes a rather clumsy metaphor for the rest of her life.

Not that they were fully faithful, even apart from the aliases. There are some pretty big inaccuracies, perhaps especially with Molly having written her autobiography before her trial. And although real casino employees served as extras, not every move would likely have been tolerated in RL as on screen.

Only at the end credits did I realize that this was an Aaron Sorkin piece -- his directorial debut, in fact. While not as angry as his next courtroom drama, it does have enough swearing that I checked whether it was among the most F-word-heavy movies (verdict: not really). Adding to the R rating are several drug addictions that Molly acquires.

Sorkin does retain a good sense of pacing and dialogue. At no point did I feel bored. It's quite a peek into another realm, albeit one I wouldn't care to visit in person. The main thing that keeps it from being my favorite poker pic is the lack of likable major characters, with the possible exception of Charlie. I feel sorry for Molly at times, but I can't see myself getting into most of her messes.

In card terms, I'd say MG holds a straight. Good enough to play, still far from a sure victory.