Written and directed by Paul Schrader (First Reformed; Adam Resurrected; Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist; Affliction; Patty Hearst; American Gigolo) and starring Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis; Ex Machina; Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens; The Addams Family; X-Men: Apocalypse; The Bourne Legacy), Tiffany Haddish (Like a Boss; Night School; Girls Trip; The Last O.G. (TV Series)), Tye Sheridan (Mud; The Tree of Life; Ready Player One; X-Men: Apocalypse; X-Men: Dark Phoenix; Deadpool 2) and Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate; The Florida Project; Shadow of the Vampire; Platoon; Spider-Man: No Way Home).
Drama; 111 mins; 16+
A brooding, slow-burning thriller that features William Tell (Oscar Isaac), a professional gambler who can count cards and who plays blackjack and poker at the casinos, keeping under the radar by living a spartan lifestyle, staying at motels and never betting big so his winnings don't stand out so he doesn't get noticed.
But it his back-story that is of interest here: he was one of the US army soldiers at Abu Ghraib in Iraq where traumatic events came to light following publication of photographs. He was one of a number of soldiers who was found guilty of torture and prisoner abuse and served eight and a half years in a military prison, while commanding officers including Gordo (Willem Dafoe) evaded arrest and conviction.
William links up with Cirk (Tye Sheridan) who reaches out to him as his father also served at Abu Ghraib around the same time as William, and who has lost contact with his mother and who seeks redemption for what Abu Grahib did to his father. William feels that he can help Cirk to get his life back on track by winning big at the casinos to pay off Cirk's student debts, encourage him to finish his studies and reach out to his mother. So Cirk tags along for the ride, with William eyeing this relationship as a chance at redemption.
To do this, William teams up with La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) who represents "investors" who loan him the money through her, with the winnings shared between the three parties. Will William attract unwarranted attention upon himself? Will he be able to help Cirk? Will Cirk allow himself to be helped? How does La Linda fit into all of this? These and many more questions are answered during this almost-two-hours-long cinematic feast in which Oscar Isaac delivers on his earlier performances, akin to Joaquin Phoenix's performances in Walk the Line, The Master and Her.
With many shots taken inside casinos, and culminating at Las Vegas where the World Series of Poker is to take place, this is more a study in character development rather than a storyline evolving, which is why this film is much better described as a drama than a thriller, which it is classified as. Oscar Isaac carries the other performances as the audience tries to get inside his character's head, to understand his thought process and the reasoning behind his decision-making which, at times, is erratic and unfounded.
Paul Schrader's writings have included the screenplays for Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and many more besides which have earned him plaudits; however, this film lacks energy and falls between trying to portray the main protagonist's mind and how it has been affected by everything that has happened, and a glamorous, bright, loud and shiny casino ambiance. It needs to be mentioned, though, that the camera-work in the inside of the Abu Grahib prison really worked and portrayed a sense of confusion suffered by the prisoners there.
Currently screening at Ciné Utopia.
