The Card Counter – Movie Review
Director: Paul Schrader
Writer: Paul Schrader (Screenplay)
Cast
- Oscar Isaac (Star Wars The Last Jedi)
- Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip)
- Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One)
- Willem Dafoe (Inside)
- Alexander Babara (The Hunt)
Plot: Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER. Told with Schrader’s trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past.
Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Card Counter starts as ex-military interrogator William Tell (Isaac) steps into the gambling. He uses his skills to count cards and read people at a poker table. William operates with connections but never puts himself in the limelight.
One day he meets La Linda (Haddish) who offers a bigger series of scores. He also meets Cirk (Sheridan) the son of a former soldier that committed suicide. Cirk wants to get revenge on the man he believes is to blame Gordo (Dafoe), as William tries to teach him more about his life.
Verdict on The Card Counter
The Card Counter is a drama following a former military man turned gambler. He has a smooth operation using his own skills to make sure he wins every game he plays. However, when his past starts to return, he is left in a difficult position about what to do next with his life.
This is a movie that gets to highlight the changes former military people go through. It shows how a certain set of skills can put you ahead of others in gambling. However, the side story seems to go slowly as the revenge side of things takes away from the more interesting poker sequences. This does give you the basics of how card games are played, which might be slightly frustrating when you know the games. In the end, the movie doesn’t hit all the heights it could do and leaves you wondering more about everything we have seen.
Final Thoughts – The Card Counter is an interesting look into a gambler’s lifestyle.