Final Wager – Movie Review
Director: Kenny Yates (ReBroken)
Writer: Jerry Artukovich (Screenplay)
Cast
- Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs)
- Tom Arnold (True Lies)
- Fernanda Romero (Drag Me to Hell)
- Scott Hamm Duenas (Howl)
- Waymond Lee (Bullet Train)
- Jennifer Daly
Plot: Former sports gambling addict, Chance needs $60,000 to save his mother from nursing home eviction. So he falls back into his old habits, only to learn he’s never lost a bet on Christmas. Is this the Christmas miracle he’s been waiting for? Or just an addict who can’t control himself?
Runtime: 1 Hour 32 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Final Wager starts when gambling addict Chance (Duenas) has started the recovery process. He attends support groups but when his mother gets evicted from her nursing home, he decides to find a way to clear her bill. Chance learns he has always won on Christmas Day and decides to use this luck to turn her life around.
However, this comes at a price, keeping it a secret from his girlfriend Lisa (Romero). He turns to his oldest friend Ty (Penick) to make his bets get put in. It all leads to him risking everything for one day of big scores.
Verdict on Final Wager
Final Wager is a comedy-drama following a gambling addict who breaks his recovery program to help his mother. It goes on a gambling craze believing he can never lose on Christmas Day and once he starts winning, he struggles to control his bets.
This movie is told in a fun way and tries to bring the message of believing in people. However, it tries to glamourise addiction accepting how easily people can fall off the wagon. Even trying to encourage people to give up on their recovery. It is also confusing to understand how America words betting, so it is hard to know whether he is picking the favourites or how much he could win. Away from these issues, the film is told positively, showing the importance of believing in the people you trust.
Where to Watch
Final Wager is a dark comedy feature film that will run exclusively on Vudu starting May 7, 2024.
Final Thoughts – Final Wager has a feel-good atmosphere despite encouraging addition.
