Review: The Gambler

The Gambler is a remake of the underrated 1974 film starring James Caan. There shall be no further mention of the original from here on out as the remake needs no comparing to the original for its weaknesses to be plainly evident.

Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) is in trouble. An English professor by day and a permanent fixture in the dimly lit Korean-run gambling establishment by night, he's up to his eyeteeth in debt. Mr. Lee (Alvin Ing) calls in his chit, telling Bennett he has seven days to pay back his $240,000 debt or else. Bennett willfully adds to his burden by getting loan shark Neville Baraka (Michael Kenneth Williams) to stake him $50,000, which he immediately gambles away; and then continually approaches underworld figure Frank (John Goodman) for money despite Frank's many warnings that the consequences of doing business with him are not to be taken lightly.

Bennett seems determined to see how deep into the depths he can sink before triggering an escape hatch. Presumably his self-destructive contortioning is meant to be the film's appeal. Bennett treats every turn of the screw with nonchalance, a disregard that breeds both sympathy and disgust in his wealthy mother (Jessica Lange), who refuses to bail him out yet again. Lange slaps Wahlberg at one point and there is a flicker of hope that the film could be comprised of nothing but that. Lange is fierce enough to advocate for mothers eating their young, but also nails a Stella Dallas moment that finds her holding back tears and raising her head high as Bennett burns the remaining bridge in their relationship.

He's as careless with another blond, Amy Phillips (Brie Larson), a student he singles out for her talent, and a part-time casino employee all too aware of her professor's double life. Despite his protestations, she initiates pursuit though it's abundantly clear from his self-hatred that any ensuing relationship would be an exercise in futility. Amy, like his mother, pegs him pretty easily: "You are the perfect example of how a person can start off with no problems whatsoever and then go out of their way to make sure they have all of them." Larson has a sharpness about her that the film, and even Wahlberg, don't quite know what to do with. Based on the brevity of both Lange and Larson's appearances, it may be that the film doesn't know what to do with women in general.

Much of the blame is attributable to director Rupert Wyatt, who inherited a project originally on Martin Scorsese's plate. Scorsese as the shepherd for The Gambler makes sense considering his gallery of anti-heroes propelled to extremes. His intended reunion with screenwriter William Conahan would have touched on many of the themes present in their previous collaboration, The Departed. Wyatt's execution of the material leaves it poorly served. Monihan's dialogue, with its tidal wave of profanities, becomes repetitive and overbearing - nearly every character expounds three pages worth of dialogue in response to a simple "Hello." Wyatt provides no shading and so the words are there to be admired for their rhythms and construct rather than felt for their emotions.

The same goes for the actors, who are all dealt at least one winning scene, but essentially the film turns into a series of stylishly executed monologues punctuated by a judiciously curated soundtrack that, while welcome, is often distracting.

The Gambler

Directed by: Rupert Wyatt

Written by: William Monahan; adapted from James Toback's screenplay

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alvin Ing, Anthony Kelley