Review of Runner Runner (2013) by Manny C — 16 Oct 2013

So Ben Affleck wins a Best Picture Oscar and then does this? Ecch. Fortunately Affleck isn't directing this, just acting in it, and he's barely doing that. Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer) is in the directing chair, but he's barely doing any of that.

Runner Runner covers nothing that hasn't been covered before, and no amount of flashy editing can hide that. Affleck is Ivan Black, an online gambling mogul who's operations are being threatened in Costa Rica by Princeton genius Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake, completely wasted).

It nearly happens until he--you guessed it--offers the kid a job. Then--yep--the FBI takes an interest in Richie in the person of Shavers (Anthony Mackie), who convinces the kid he should turn informer.

The actors come up winners only in terms of how much they're getting paid to be in this crap. Everyone else gets a thriller free of thrills. See Runner Runner and know the feeling of being had.