Two for the Money

This film is not as bad as many say, its a decent film about sports betting. I give the director credit for keeping it interesting as this film could have potentially been a bore. However there were some problems with the script, mainly the last act which was not logical. The acting and smart direction from Caruso save this project. Although it isn't a terribly convincing film, Pacinos performance allows is to not be a total disappointment. McConaughey was good as well, casted well in his role. Jeremy Piven was great in his supporting role, but Armand Assante was bad, boy does he not know how to perform lines and be convincing while doing it. Most of my problems with this film was Dan Gilroys screenplay which although at times smart, and entertaining, all in all not concise and consistent. 7/10

Matthew McConaughey is Brandon Lang, a former college football star who devastated his knee and was never able to play professionally. Six years later he's recording "sports predictions" for a 1-900 number in Las Vegas and living with his mom and younger brother, still dreaming of playing professional football one day. He never hears from the Cowboys, but he does get a call from Walter Abrams (the Godfather himself, Al Pacino), an entrepreneur who runs his own sports betting business, inviting him to move to New York and work for him.

Though Brandon Lang is the hero of the story, Walter Abrams is the beating heart of Two For The Money. He's a recovered gambling addict who runs his own empire of "sports betting advisers." No other film has ever explored the psyche of the gambling addict so precisely and intimately. Abrams describes what it feels like to win, but even more fascinatingly, he discusses the addict's subconscious desire to loose it all. Gambling addicts don't bury themselves in debt because they're sure they can win. They do it because they need to loose everything to feel alive.

Two For The Money is better than I expected. The characters are rich and complex and the story is never dull. Hell, this movie is worth seeing for the topless McConaughey shots alone.

In Vegas, after breaking the knee in a game, the former promising football player Brandon Lang (Matthew McConaughey) has to work in a phone service foreseeing the results of the games due to the lack of professional options. After many successful predictions, he is invited by Walter Abrams (Al Pacino) to move to Manhattan and work with him in his gambling advising business. Brandon changes his name and personality, becomes famous advising clients and close to Walter's family, and a good friend of his wife, the owner of a hairdresser saloon Toni Morrow (Rene Russo). When the predictions of Brandon fail, he feels that it is time to return home.

"Two for the Money" is a good entertainment, mainly because it is based on a true story, inclusive in the DVD there is an interview of the screenplay writer with the real Brandon. The story partially discloses an illegal business that deals with billions of dollars, and keeps the interest until the end, without being exceptional or unforgettable. Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey and Rene Russo make this film worth. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Tudo Por Dinheiro" ("All for Money")

There is a scene at the beginning of the film that seems to set the tone of "Two for the Money". We watch as Walter Abrams is talking on the phone with someone who will not be able to provide an elephant for his daughter's birthday party. Walter barks to his assistant, "Get me Ringling". When the call finally comes through, he demands to know whether he is talking to Barnum or Bailey, which is a funny line. Wasn't P.T. Barnum himself the man famous for that quotation about a sucker being born every minute?

Walter Abrams is a man who is in the sports betting business. He and his associates stand to make millions out of the jerks they pursue to do their betting with his firm. Having found a new rising star, Brandon Lang, a man that knows a lot about the intricacies of point spreads and picking winners. Walter wants to transforms him into a man who can bring more money into his outfit.

In order to do that, Walter must groom him to "look" the part. As such, Brandon becomes John Anthony, the man who can produce fabulous results every week end during the football series. Brandon gets to meet the insiders, but little does he know who he is dealing with, or much less, what is expected of him. After all, he is just as good as the winners he can produce.

The film, directed by D. J. Caruso, a man who has worked extensively in television, has a glossy look. The screen play by Dan Gilroy could have used some tighter editing, because at two hours it feels a bit long.

Al Pacino, as Walter, has some good moments; we have seen him in better roles, and this one is a composite of other things he has done before. Mr. Pacino compensates when the screen play is not going anywhere by applying an intensity that doesn't go well with the others playing opposite him. Matthew McConaughey is a light weight actor who, aside from his good looks, doesn't bring anything to this story. Rene Russo is obviously a tall woman who towers over Mr. Pacino in most of their scenes together. Their relationship doesn't come across as being a real thing. Jeremy Piven and Armand Assante make good contributions in supporting the principals.

While "Two for the Money" is by no means a horrible film, it just doesn't have anything new to say.

Al Pacino carries this film all by himself.

I can't think of a way that this could have been made without Pacino. Sure, Matthew McConaughey and Rene Russo gave convincing performances, but Pacino makes you feel sorry for the miserable, empty shell of a man he is.

The plot was amazingly intricate and well carried, but (once again) without Pacino it would not have been delivered nearly as well. I think that they should have found a way to include a small explanation as to how sports betting works, so the fans who came in just to see Pacino would be able to understand how it works. Also, at times the movie just dragged on and on and on...

I still think that Al Pacino is that movie. Pacino really extends himself the way he always does to keep the movie alive and moving. His character was one of the most miserable men I have ever seen, and while i hated him, I still identified a small part of myself with him, and that is the sign of a truly great actor.

7/10