Review: Molly's Game

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Want a seat at the table?

After having her Olympic dreams shattered, Molly (Jessica Chastain) moves to Los Angeles and starts working as a cocktail waitress. Eventually, Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong) approaches her to work as his secretary, and eventually to help run his underground poker ring. After making $3000 in tips in one night, Molly knows exactly what she wants to do, and eventually takes the game from Dean and makes it her own.

I was a bit skeptical of this film at first. I don't care about poker and from what I read about Molly, I didn't see Chastain in the role. I was wrong on all fronts, thankfully. Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut goes off wonderfully and makes a subject that didn't interest me before fascinating.

I love Sorkin's fast paced dialogue. I know it's very divisive among film fans but it's always worked for me. This film clocks in at two hours and twenty minutes and you don't feel a minute of that with the fast pacing.

Chastain was great, I don't know why I questioned her in the beginning. Idris Elba is the standout for me as her lawyer. He has some intense scenes where he defends her and some softer scenes with his daughter. I wish he was in the Oscar conversation more, because I loved him here. The person who really surprised me the most was Michael Cera. He plays "Player X" a celebrity that attends Molly's LA poker games and he's an absolute weasel. It's nice to see Cera do something different, and he was awesome here. It's quite obvious which real life actor he was supposed to be.

Sorkin proves he can handle himself behind the director's chair. This film is the biggest surprise of the year for me.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: A-

Memorable Quote: "They didn't believe I was a cocktail waitress? Aww...was it because I wasn't?" - Molly Boom (Jessica Chastain) 

Comments

  1. Alex WithrowJanuary 9, 2018 at 9:14 AM

    Oh I'm so happy you liked this one. This was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. I figured I'd like it, but I didn't know I would love it as much as I did. It'll be in my top of the year for sure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 10, 2018 at 6:37 AM

      Same here. I actually just subbed it in on my top 10 list and I was not expecting that.

      Delete
  2. BirgitJanuary 9, 2018 at 11:14 AM

    I heard about this film and it sounded quite boring but your review makes me more interested in seeing this film

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 10, 2018 at 6:36 AM

      I wasn't expecting it to be nearly this good either.

      Delete
  3. s.January 9, 2018 at 12:34 PM

    You got me so psyched for this one! Cannot wait to see it

    ReplyDelete
  4. thevoid99January 9, 2018 at 1:49 PM

    OK, now you've got me wanting to see this as I hope to as there's so many good films out right now that I want to see.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Often Off TopicJanuary 9, 2018 at 3:20 PM

    I'm glad you enjoyed this! It's one I've seen a lot of ads for but hasn't really excited me but I've got some hope now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 10, 2018 at 6:35 AM

      I wasn't very excited either, it really surprised me.

      Delete
  6. Sonia CercaJanuary 10, 2018 at 11:07 AM

    Now I really want to see this!

    ReplyDelete
  7. keith71_98January 11, 2018 at 9:59 AM

    100% YES! I had so-so expectations for it - good cast and Sorkin is always interesting. But I didn't expect to love it the way I did. I was completely enthralled. Glad you loved it too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 11, 2018 at 11:49 AM

      So am I. This is something I'll definitely be watching again when it hits DVD.

      Delete
  8. MyerlaJanuary 12, 2018 at 9:36 AM

    As someone who plays poker I found anything involving poker really well handled, and it sounded like Sorkin has an idea how the game was actually played including the terminolgy.

    I was very impressed with the film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 12, 2018 at 2:10 PM

      I know nothing about Poker but it sounded real enough to me. lol

      Delete

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