Molly's Game - Movie Review

Molly Bloom is a real person. Her brother, Jeremy Bloom, was a bit of a prodigy. Aside from being smart, Jeremy was a World Cup and Olympic Team USA skier. He is also the only Olympic Skier to ever be drafted by the NFL as well. He was drafted as a punt returner by the Philadelphia Eagles. Molly was alas a competitive skier. Her Olympic dreams were dashed following a freak accident during qualification. Every bit as driven as her brother (and just as smart), she intended to head to law school. But first, she would take a year off. That year turned into a dynasty of sorts. One that is chronicled in her books, as well as the recently released Molly's Game.

Molly (Jessica Chastain) starts out in LA crashing on the couch of a friend. She works one night per weeks as a cocktail waitress and the rest of the week as an assistant to a real estate developer, Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong). Keith introduces Molly to a covert poker game he runs, using her to drive and recruit new clients to the game. Molly organizes and runs the games and is paid in tips. She learns everything she can about the game by watching the players, which includes a host of Hollywood elite. When Keith starts edging Molly out, she sets up her own game, with the aid of Player X (Michael Cera) who is a draw for the games. She builds her own clientele and is doing well. When she realizes that Player X has a shady set up with another player, she refuses to permit the conflict in her game. As a result, she loses it. Player X sets up a new game and cuts her out.

Molly uses the money she has accumulated to set up a new, higher stakes game in New York. Things are going well until she recruits some Russians into the game. Russians she would later learn were Russian Mafia. She also has an FBI informant at her games. After one of her games is raided, Molly packs up, moves home and gets treatment for her drug and alcohol addictions. Two years later, she is indicted. Molly refuses to give up information she has on a host of Hollywood elite and other previous clients. In the end, she must decide whether to cooperate with the government, at the cost of her "name", or whether to plead guilty and face the full consequences of her charges. The choice is one of getting her five million dollars back and walking free or potentially spending 42 months in jail, forfeiting her money and losing certain rights associated with a felony conviction.

Director Aaron Sorkin adapted this screenplay from Molly's book. He chose to tell the story in the form of flashbacks, beginning with Molly's arrest shortly after arriving back in Los Angeles to get back on her feet. It begins with Molly providing a flashback to her early days as a skier before bringing her back to the present, convincing a lawyer (Idris Elba) to represent her, even though she has no way to pay him his $250,000 retainer. Her conversations with the lawyer give us additional flashbacks that fill in the backstory. The film is done in clear segments that cleanly bounce between past and present. The result is an often face-paced film with a plethora of characters that fill in the blanks of a tabloid worthy story.

My use of the term "tabloid" is not random. This story was juicy. It was the stuff TMZ pays good money for. Those points are hit upon many times in the film. Molly alleges to have turned down numerous offers for dirt, which is absolutely believable. Molly was running a secret poker ring that involved A-list actors and top sports and entertainment figures. It is impossible to imagine that she didn't see and hear things from a bunch of men drinking and playing poker. Not to mention her allegations in the movie that many of them sent her text messages that were potentially embarrassing. But the tabloid feel of this film still felt a bit cheap. Even when names weren't named. It wasn't bad, but it's not the type of film I normally seek out. I have to admit, I did enjoy it. The pacing and action were much better than I anticipated. And the characters were decent.

Jessica Chastain is alluring. She was perfectly cast in this film. Showing just enough cleavage to get the red-blood running, her beauty merely enhanced her performance. Her character is strong and assertive. Yet she manages to have a soft spot that doesn't make her seem weak. It was a careful balance that she managed deftly. Michael Cera was decent as slimy Player X, although he's no Toby McGuire (the alleged said player). I like Chris O'Dowd, but not in this film. I didn't care for his character or performance. Idris Elba was excellent as Molly's lawyer. He was measured, but intense when needed. I have been around a lot of lawyers in my life and he comported himself with credibility. As a whole, I enjoyed the casting.

Molly's Game runs well over two hours, but doesn't feel that long. The film received an R rating by the MPAA for mature content, although there is no nudity or murder. There is a limited amount of violence, gambling, drugs and alcohol. The subject matter of this film is geared more toward older audiences. Teens or better at least.

Molly's Game is already being nominated for awards. I can see the nomination for best adapted screenplay. I can see Idris being nominated for best supporting actor. But I really don't see Chastain as best actress. She was great. I love her. But there have been some amazing films this year with strong female leads. I enjoyed this film, but didn't love it. I could have waited for it on video. But a matinee works too. 7.5/10.