The gritty, well-acted new drama "Mississippi Grind" is part buddy road trip, part character study, and while it's tone is often a pensive one, you won't want to bet against it. Gerry ("Bloodline's" Ben Mendelsohn) is a talented but troubled poker player, but with his debts mounting, his gambling habit is getting the best of him. One day, he meets a charismatic young traveler named Curtis ("Woman in Gold's" Ryan Reynolds). Deeming Curtis his lucky charm, Gerry convinces him that they should hit the road together, to a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans, and this trip will reveal more about the ambitions and motivations of each man. Directed and written by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, the duo behind such films as "Sugar" and "It's Kind of a Funny Story," the low-budget indie drama "Mississippi Grind" is a downbeat but tough story of two guys who won't give up until they score the big win. Much of it feels familiar (it reminded me thematically of the 2003 dark drama "The Cooler" starring William Macy and Alec Baldwin) but it's also an interesting, nicely acted character study, with a superb turn from Australian, Emmy-nominated actor Mendelsohn as the down-on-his-luck, gambling addicted Gerry, whose tide changes when he meets the charming Curtis, played by Reynolds in a solid, believeable turn for the actor who has been appearing in more independent films like this and the well-received "Woman in Gold." Aside from the engaging gambling sequences, it can be a little slow and depressing, especially in the last act when Gerry is trying to tie up some loose ends. Watch for Analeigh Tipton ("Warm Bodies") and Sienna Miller ("American Sniper") as the ladies in their lives, in the drama that was filmed throughout the South, in Alabama in Louisiana. The affecting, slow-moving character "Mississippi Grind" may not appeal to everyone but it's a satisfying look at those with gambling addictions.
No comments:
Post a Comment