Review of Molly's Game (2017) by Jon C — 07 Jan 2018

Once more Aaron Sorkin's writing and directing hit a great level of quality.

The dialogue is sharp, witty, and snappy.

When it comes to making films about famous figures he shines the brightest and can handle a good collection of actors at the same time.

Jessica Chastain kills it playing the face of Molly Bloom, the Olympic skier champion who was indicted for operating an illegal gambling empire and facing additional charges in exchange for giving up names of various celebrities, athletes even to the Russian mob.

Bloom wrote a book about her experiences owning the game as well as her father (Kevin Costner) pushing her to her athletic ability.

Plus the fact that she suffered a physical deficiency at a young age.

Molly was sick of living in a world dominated by greedy, powerful men so she made her own kingdom of playing cards to have power over them for a change.

Bloom made the money, the power, the players; she put off law school against her father's wishes and her parents went through a messy divorce.

During the telling of her rise to the top of the game we're also seeing her prosecution when she finds a reluctant attorney (Idris Elba) getting her to fully open up what she left out at the time of her arrest by the FBI.

For those who don't understand playing cards you may be very lost during her narration but it helps to pick up a few things when the stakes are very high.

Aaron Sorkin tells this woman's story from a very grounded point of view laying the groundwork for how deep Bloom got herself into the business.

Is her name all she has if nothing else? what would've happened if she didn't plead guilty? one mistake is enough to change an entire life course of decisions according to Bloom.

This is some of the best work from a talented actress and a consistently-accomplished writer behind the camera.

A very well-told, biopic that has Chastain and Sorkin being as mature and intelligent as their subject matter.