-PICTURED: Rhea Durham and Mark Wahlberg
-PHOTO by: Dave Allocca/Starpix
-Filename: DA_14_20302.JPG
-Location: AMC Lincoln Square
This Christmas, dynamic duo Mark Wahlberg and John Goodman will be taking it to the movies in their upcoming film, The Gambler.
Although the name is the same as the 1974 film, director, Rupert Wyatt’s remake definitely is in a game of its own.
Mark Wahlberg plays the main character, Jim Bennett.
His character is hypothetically stuck in a hole that he has dug for himself and as people try to toss in a rope of safety, he cuts them right off. Jim (Wahlberg) comes off as a self-destructive man who likes to walk on the wild side throughout the entire film. Jim comes from a wealthy background. His grandfather (George Kennedy) was the 17th richest man in the state of California and was a banking magnate who died in the first scene, leaving him with nothing. As for his mother, Roberta (Jessica Lange) who also is wealthy seems to always be there to rescue him in times of trouble, despite her refusal of help.
Outside of his gambling lifestyle by night, Jim is a college literature professor by day, who at one point had written a novel published years ago.
Within his class, three students, all high achievers, interest him: Dexter (Emory Cohen), a great tennis player; Lamar (Anthony Kelley), a remarkable basketball player who is only a junior, is leaning toward turning pro; and Amy (Brie Larson), who Jims considers and calls to be the only brilliant writer in the class. “If you’re not a genius, don’t bother,” Jim proclaims, noting his own novel.
Upon him calling her out in class as such, to Amy, he has become a challengeable desire. Jim privately intended for her to recognize his interest and at one point in the film they head off together at some Indian casino, where there was an underground gambling party that took place. From there, Jim’s worst attributes took over.
It was a sad repetition of losing money, gaining, borrowing, and losing again, all in front of Amy. Inevitably, Jim losing everything may be what he most deeply craves.
Already in debt of 200 plus thousand to an Asian mobster, King of Spades and to loan shark Neville (Michael K. Williams), Jim reaches out to Frank (John Goodman) for money.
When you think of gambling, most think of the games played for the chance of money. Gambling is beyond casinos, but choices we make in life.
I am a recent graduate from the University of Central Missouri. I majored in Digital Media Production with an emphasis in news. My aspiration is to become a television Journalist.