What happens when a woman takes over a man's job and turns an underground game into a financial empire? In this story -- based on its real-life protagonist's memoir -- a woman does just that, before being hunted and prosecuted by federal investigators. Of course, it's not just any woman. Molly Bloom is played by Jessica Chastain in all her fabulous glory, playing an iconic and timely character who succeeds in a social and economic sphere dominated and indeed mostly populated by men. Not only is she the host of the world's most high-stakes poker game, but she was also (almost) an Olympic athlete. The film is primarily a biopic, following her consciousness, perseverance, determination, and incredible mind as she navigates and runs a world apart.
It's also Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut, and he is in his perfect element. He's playing his own game here as both screenwriter and director, tossing around some of his favorite topics including international affairs (yes, we have multiple mafia groups here), money and poker, celebrities, and law. His usual wisecracking, searing dialogue is on full display, never better than when slipped from Chastain's lips or from Idris Elba's, especially in their dynamic scenes together.
And as director, Sorkin fleshes out some of the really tricky thematic stuff in surprising ways. He focuses in on the role of luck in fortune and finance from the first scene, as Molly narrates herself skiing and getting caught on a random twig that seriously injures her. The film is also so tightly scripted and edited that we hang on each uttered phrase addictively, and the story unfolds in a dizzying series of meetings with mounting tensions until we, like Molly, feel the effects not only of her intoxicating drugs and booze but also of the maze of morality and legality that is no less enticing. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always stylish as hell, Molly's Game is a high stakes pleasure trip you don't want to miss.
IMDb: Molly's Game
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