*Originally written January 8th, 2017*
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Molly's Game, the trailers were fast and flashy, Jessica Chastain looked great doing her usual thing and it's written by Aaron Sorkin (AKA: The God of Writing) and also directed by him. The whole thing came together for an insanely entertaining and immensely interesting true life story.
Telling the true story of an Olympic skier who eventually goes on to host some of the biggest backdoor poker games in America, Molly's Game is one of those stranger than fiction stories that grabs you from the beginning and just escalates in a classic rise and fall story.
Jessica Chastain is as outrageously good as she usually is, it's only January and Chastain's Molly Bloom is will probably be one of my favourite performances of the year, endlessly watchable as she spouts out Sorkin's dialogue like it's no ones business. Her portrayal of Bloom is one with complex depth and humanity, they don't shy away from the bad side of her character, but it makes you easily empathize with her. I wish they'd explored her drug addiction a little more and how it took its toll, but they more than make up for that with just how fast this thing moves.
I was massively surprised by Michael Cera's "Player X", a man (Possibly based on Tobey Maguire) who helped build Molly's empire. I found it a novelty at first to see Cera in such a role, but he quickly becomes a compelling and sometimes frightening presence that brings a lot of tense moments and situations.
The real star of Molly's Game is Aaron Sorkin, we know he's good at writing, his dialogue is quick-witted and sharp, making things endlessly watchable, but he also does a great job as a first time director. The film isn't overly stylized or anything, it's not an ugly looking film by any means, it just looks a little plain. Not all films need to be stylish and flashy, but Sorkin clearly takes influence from Scorsese, making for a quickly edited piece of entertainment.
Molly's Game might have been one of the most overlooked releases of recent years. Chastain puts in an award deserving performance while Sorkin continues to be one of the best writers of our time, please seek out this fascinating true story. It's worth it.
9/10 Dans
Molly's Game is out now in cinemas in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
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