dead money A poker term for foolish card players who have almost no chance of winning. What was supposed to be a clever title for the film falls flat when the audience watching it ends up being the big losers. Emile Hirsch leads a veteran ensemble in a predictable black comedy filled with silly, one-note characters. The sleek editing and swung-back soundtrack are meant to create a glamorous atmosphere but only exacerbate the failures of the empty script. There are some minor positives in the accurate portrayal of compulsive gambling and the funny skits.Gambling addicts don't know when to stop until they face destruction…or in this case, a kidnapped girlfriend with a gun to her head.
Emile Hirsch Leads a Powerful Team in Dead Money
Hirsch plays Andy, a genius at statistics and card counting who makes a living playing professionally in illegal gaming circles. He motivates himself by listening to motivational poker speeches about being the alpha male while everyone else is a beta loser. Andy gets into big trouble after Jack's (David Keith) house is robbed during his nightly game.
The brawl begins with Andy losing a series of games, while Jack stares in horror as he loses his sports bet. Andy's med school girlfriend Chloe (India Eisley) is working as a waitress at a testosterone-pumping diner. Everyone erupts when LT (Peter Facinelli), a crazed cop, bursts into the room as a prank. He settles in to play, but is soon followed by two masked thugs (Jackie Earle Haley, Rory Culkin) who are no joke.
Jack's nose is broken when the robbers line up against a wall. They strip everyone naked and escape with all the money. Their escape is not flawless as LT has another gun and uses the getaway vehicle for target practice. Andy and Chloe drive home in frustration before she realizes something is missing. Chloe accidentally forgets her backpack at Jack's house and asks Andy to go back and get it.
Strong introduction turns to nonsense
dead money The initial premise is promising. The opening scene in Jack's gambling den works with the shady players making fun of each other. What happens after the robbery is what happens. The movie takes you down a rabbit hole of nonsense.In his feature film debut, screenwriter Josh Wilcox portrays the protagonists as idiots, but he doesn’t give Andy and Chloe any common sense. He’s smart enough to figure out what every player is thinking. She talks about studying for the SAT. They’re two smart people on the surface, but they’re also somehow getting it right. Silly mistakes They get into big trouble. It's unbelievable and they lose their minds after the robbery.
The intermittent use of voiceover is confusing.We hear Andy’s thoughts as he calculates poker strategies and explains his betting philosophy. What’s missing is any insight into the storm he and Chloe are caught in. You might think Andy would have something to say about his girlfriend being in mortal danger, but I don’t think there was any need for any machinations here. Wilcox displays his poker prowess through a series of fancy odds and terms. This will resonate with gamblers, but most people probably want to hear about Andy’s rescue plan.
Objective girl in distress sighs
Chloe becomes the stereotypical damsel in distress.She is the beautiful pawn that all the arrogant men fight over. Aisley spends most of her time tied up with duct tape that looks like a five-year-old could pierce through. Her multiple escape attempts are unsuccessful. No wonder these attempts are just for comedy. dead money The movie has many funny parts, but holding her hostage and moving her over and over again is not one of them. Eisley had to do more than just be objective.
Director Luke and Booth (Ocean love) It mimics similar gambling genre movies with Stylish edits and camera work.It speeds up tracking shots to give the narrative short bursts of visual adrenaline. This sounds really cool, but there is no methodology to know when this will happen.One scene in particular could have been the perfect moment. It's a missed opportunity and obvious to the viewer. It's like icing a cake and leaving part of the top exposed.
Haley and Facinelli add more entertainment value with their funny physical jokes.They have bloody fights throughout the movie, and they're neither cute nor pretty. The duo show a comedic range rarely seen in their long careers. It's nice to see veteran actors break their mold and do something unexpected, even when the movie is bad. That's enough poker for this reviewer.
dead money The film is produced by Benacus Entertainment and Bleiberg Entertainment. It will be released on video on demand and digital on September 13 from Samuel Goldwyn Films. You can rent or buy it on digital platforms such as YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and on Prime Video via the link below:
Watch Dead Money
