Review of Molly's Game (2017) by Mario M — 15 Apr 2018

Strengths: When I first heard that Aaron Sorkin, one of my favorite screenwriters, was going to direct his first film, I was instantly pulled in. This completely felt like a Sorkin production in the best possible way. Jessica Chastain (Molly) gives one of the strongest performances of her career and completely dominates each scene she's involved in, which is a vast majority of the film. Idris Elba (Charlie) plays her lawyer and their scenes together are great. The dynamic between them was stellar. His monologue towards the end was possibly the best acted moment in a movie filled with them. Kevin Costner (Larry) is Molly's father and also gets some great scenes with her. The skiing stuff was excellently shot. It looked better than stuff you'd find in a movie with a much higher budget. The nonlinear storytelling technique was done very well, while the pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

Weaknesses: As much as I like Sorkin, his characters and such can feel kind of repetitive. Molly feels almost interchangeable with some of the other strong women in his other works. There are several parts of the movie where the explanation of the game doesn't come off clearly. It's hard for someone who doesn't know about poker to fully grasp what is going on. They explain things in such a quick manner that it feels glossed over. The other gripe I had with the movie was that it feels long. I understand why the scene with her father at the skating rink was needed, it feels like it lasts forever when you're so close to the finish line.

Overall: Though it's long, this movie keeps you engaged for the most part, from start to finish. Chastain and Elba give stellar performances and are electric on screen, while the story is very intriguing. Sorkin creates a hit in his debut as a director.