Tightening his grip on the rugged, crime drama genre, Mark Wahlberg stars as a literature professor who leads a secret life as a high-stakes gambler in Robert Wyatt's The Gambler. And while the Oscar-nominated actor embodies the role of Jim Bennett with a flashy sense of finesse, he is unable to make the film more than it is: a stereotypical genre film that relies heavily on its individual performances.
Brie Larson leads a strong list of supporting actors, though she is really the only one who is given enough material to shine. Her performance as Amy Phillips, a woman who has a special relationship with Bennett in both sides of his life, is straight-forward and simple. But Larson does a fantastic job with what she is given, bridging the gap and showing a semi-human side to our questionably crazed protagonist. Contrary to Jessica Lange (who is highly underused as Bennett's mother), Larson's Phillips appears to have a purpose in the story, and her chemistry with Wahlberg is one of the bright spots in the film.
But the film ultimately relies on Wahlberg, who reportedly lost sixty pounds for the role. And though his new physique does add to his haunting appearance, the film fails to answer a trivial question: why is Jim insistent on wasting away large sums of money on various games of chance. Instead, Wyatt chooses to focus in on his unique sense of style, using music, tone and slow build-ups to keep viewers engaged. He opts to forgo the meat and grit of the story, creating a remake that, at best, can be seen as a mediocre homage to its original.
Several will see the film as a standard look into the life of a gambling addict. And on the surface, that is true. But beyond the obvious you begin to understand the bigger picture; that of a character study of a man who simply refuses to think actively, instead focusing on the act of suicide the further into a corner he is pushed.
It's a sad situation really, and one that is compounded by the fact that Bennett is far too disgruntled about life to be worth rooting for. And when you watch a man who is throwing his life (and fortunes) away, it is hard to enjoy the ride without really caring about the final scene. And though the film does gain some momentum during its final act, it's a bit too late to flip the house and save the day.
