Molly's Game (2017)

[aabattery]

Discuss and stuff.

[somebody85]

Jessica Chastain delivers a complete knockout performance. It's long but from the moment it starts, it moves fast and is one of the years best. I want to learn more about the real story because I found Molly really inspirational. Idris Elba is fantastic too.

Looking forward to watching it again because it really is a lot to unpack.

A

Edited December 31, 2017 by somebody85

[filmlover]

A bit overlong, but a very solid directorial debut from Aaron Sorkin that fits in with movies like The Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short in that you don't need to know about the topic (in this case, poker) to be entertained by it. This is definitely a Sorkin production: not many writers have such a remarkable way with dialogue like he does. The always strong and committed Jessica Chastain adds yet another excellent performance to her filmography, making Molly the kind of determined lead female character we could use more of in the movies. Idris Elba and Kevin Costner are also terrific too. B+

[somebody85]

21 hours ago, filmlover said:

movies like The Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short

That's exactly what I was thinking on the way home. This is this years Wolf Of Wall Street or Big Short. It moves just as fast. I didn't know Sorkin wrote The Social Network but knew Fincher directed it....makes a lot of sense because this reminded me a lot of that too.

[baumer]

I'm not sure if I've given any film a 10/10 this year, but I know I have now.  This is the best film I've seen this year.  Chastain and Elba both fucking kill it.  Not only do they bring the characters to life, but the script really gives them a chance to shine.  It's a fascinating story of high stakes poker, greed and loyalty and integrity.  I will be really ticked if both leads are not nominated this year.

 

10/10

[Deja23]

So good. Loved almost every part of it. It’s definitely a Sorkin movie and did remind me of The Social Network in terms of the way the characters were portrayed. The only part that I disliked was the father-daughter talk at the park, I couldn’t sympathize with the father or accept his psychoanalysis. Molly though, what a character! One of the most sympathetic characters I’ve watched in a while. Everything she went through and how she refused to give up or give in to the powerful men around her was pretty inspiring. Loved Jessica Chastin in this. And Idris Elba did great too, his speech had me tearing up. A 

Edited January 13, 2018 by Deja23

[baumer]

3 hours ago, Deja23 said:

So good. Loved almost every part of it. It’s definitely a Sorkin movie and did remind me

of The Social Network in terms of the way the characters were portrayed. The only part that I disliked was the father-daughter talk at the park, I couldn’t sympathize with the father or accept his psychoanalysis. Molly though, what a character! One of the most sympathetic characters I’ve watched in a while. Everything she went through and how she refused to give up or give in to the powerful men around her was pretty inspiring. Loved Jessica Chastin in this. And Idris Elba did great too, his speech had me tearing up. A 

 

THANK YOU!!!

 

Finally someone sees how brilliant Elba was.  That speech he gives to the lawyers was very powerful and emotional!

[Fancyarcher]

My review - https://dailyuv.com/feed/939089?location=norwich-vt

[WrathOfHan]

9/10 | A-

[MrPink]

B+

 

A lot of fun, a little long, and maybe a little rougher around the edges in terms of the way it was shot at times but I dug a good amount. Ending sort of fizzled out for me.

Edited January 14, 2018 by MrPink

[Avatree]

jeez this movie was boring. didn't care for any character at any point. some of the dialogue could have been written by a child, e.g. that speech by Idris Elba with the prosecutors. 

I'm fine with narration but why did Molly have to tell us all her emotions? It's one thing for someone to say that in a book but in a film you can let an actor show their emotions to the audience, Aaron.

 

The length didn't actually bother me that much, but the pacing was very strange. It ratchets things up and up and you expect it to get more tense, but it just pauses. Then continues slowly then ends. just really odd.

 

I also couldn't follow most of the plot, I still have no idea what actual crime she committed, or how she had blackmail material over every person she encountered.

 

Jessica Chastain is decent, what is Idris elba doing though? why didn't anyone in the production make him choose an accent? he alternates from english to american every other line.

 

that being said I'm only thinking about this in retrospect, during the film I was just quite bored. which is the worst crime a film can commit, I'd much rather watch a movie that makes me annoyed or angry than one that makes me bored.

 

Also why did Kevin Costner not age? There is a 25+ year age gap between him at the start and him at the end, but there doesn't even appear to be a 25 DAY gap.

 

Edited January 16, 2018 by Tree Billboards

[Blankments]

Molly’s Game really showcases how Aaron Sorkin’s writing really blends together. It feels like we’ve seen this movie multiple times before and it never really captivates or even entertains. Chastain plays a role she could do in her sleep, and Elba makes the most of some really awful dialogue. Only Cera really stands out as a delightfully sociopathic actor that definitely reads like Tobey Maguire once you read that fact. James and Camp also make memorable character actor appearances. If it sounds like I’m only talking about the cast, that’s because there’s literally nothing else to talk about here. Really, Molly’s Game lacks anything to make it special, and annoys thanks to the laziest Sorkin screenplay and really dull direction. Blah. C-

[GeneralKong]

I'm having trouble rating this film. It isn't especially boring and has some great acting, but nothing about it really sticks out. Sorkin's writer instincts hinder the direction, with the narration often restating information that had already been established visually. Also, the stuff with the dad becomes rather trite in the third act and the film would have been better off cutting out most of Costner's scenes altogether. Eh. 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by GeneralKong

[Tower]

I loved Chastain in this, but the film itself is a missed opportunity. The focus of the film should have been more on the poker games themselves instead of the lawyer and trial part, which felt repetitive and unnecessary most of the time. To make matters worse, the talks with the lawyer actually spoiled the main story. When there is a turning point in the film, I like wondering how the story progresses from there, but in this film they keep telling you in advance what will happen.

 

Instead of all the lawyer stuff that could be cut, There certainly seemed to be a lot more that could have been expanded upon about the poker games (more stories of gamblers or how she ran the game).

[somebody85]

Saw it again and it held up just as well. Love the characters and dialogue in this. One of the few films of 2017 that doesn't feel like it's length.

And I'm glad the film was less about poker and more about the trial and Molly Bloom. I thought that was all interwoven so well.

[Cap]

Sorkin is a fair superior writer than director. At times the direction felt like I was watching an old West Wing episode. All the shots were efficient but not dynamic. That was the only thing stopping me from rating it higher. 

 

C+

[Avatree]

3 hours ago, captainwondyful said:

Sorkin is a fair superior writer than director. At times the direction felt like I was watching an old West Wing episode. All the shots were efficient but not dynamic. That was the only thing stopping me from rating it higher. 

 

C+

so a film gets C+ because it hasn't got dynamic enough editing/cinematography. do you like any movies at all? lol

[Cap]

8 hours ago, Tree Billboards said:

so a film gets C+ because it hasn't got dynamic enough editing/cinematography. do you like any movies at all? lol

Yup. Film is a visual medium. The film was about 75% voice over, or at least felt it. I could have turned my back, or been at house on my phone the whole time, and still gotten the same experience as watching the film. Good story from a good writer needed a way better cinematographer.

[Avatree]

12 minutes ago, captainwondyful said:

Yup. Film is a visual medium. The film was about 75% voice over, or at least felt it. I could have turned my back, or been at house on my phone the whole time, and still gotten the same experience as watching the film. Good story from a good writer needed a way better cinematographer.

Hmm fair enough. You definitely could listen to the film. Would probably make more sense. As I said above, thought it was stupid to have chastain narrate her feelings. "I was really angry" don't need to tell us that, we can judge from her performance

[Goffe]

Really, I don’t think I could dislike anything written by Sorkin; dude’s wit is unmatched. 

 

Couple that with Chastain show-stealing performance and strong supporting cast, and you have what I call a v. good & enjoyable movie. 8/10

 

p.s. Costner was great in his big scene at the end.

p.s.2 Sorkin does need to step up on his directing game. Shit looked low-rent quite frequently.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Goffe