[Rob Babcock]

The mixed reviews almost scared me away from this one!  But I have to say I quite enjoyed it.  It stars Marky Mark as a college professor from a family of means; his ennui basically drives him to self destructive behaviors including gambling very large sums of money.  The entire cast is very good including John Goodman as his loan shark uncle and Jessica Lange as his long suffering mother.  Brie Larson is also very good as a student of his that pursues him.  Walhberg is good in this one, the rare movie where he's not the macho badass.  Well, not completely.

Not a masterpiece and not an Oscar contender but given the mixed reviews I was pleasantly surprised.  Recommended!

[BobM]

I thought for a second you were talking about this ...



It's a golf hole in Myrtle Beach at the Kings North National course. It’s one of the most popular holes along the Grand Strand and America, for that matter. Players have the option of hitting to an island fairway and are then faced with the shot of the day: going for the green in two (it’s all carry over water).

“The tip is to go as far to the (edge) of the island as you can,” Burnside said. “A lot of people get to the island and still have 230 yards left, and that doesn’t do you any good.”

Players who take the conventional route face a tricky drive and eventually an approach from a downhill lie.  You don’t take a Myrtle Beach golf trip to layup all the time, so rip your drive and take the chance that gave the hole its nickname. You will have a story to tell either way.

[Rob Babcock]

Well, it was posted in The Cinema- that should have been your first clue I meant the movie.   Plus I have never golfed before, so there's that.

[ajzepp]

I'm a Wahlberg fan so I'm sure I'll see it, but I'll have to go into it without expecations since it was only about a year ago that I saw the original film with James Cann. I don't knwo if this is a remake or completely unrelated, but the Caan film immediately became one of my favorites. I highly recommend it.

[mcgsxr]

I am sure I will see it at some point, but does not sound like one I will rush out to see at the movies.

Appreciate the heads up.

[Rob Babcock]

It's a close remake from what I've read.  The mixed reviews kept me away until one night I wanted to see something and had seen everything else.  Not a masterpiece but I liked it.

[ajzepp]

It's a close remake from what I've read.  The mixed reviews kept me away until one night I wanted to see something and had seen everything else.  Not a masterpiece but I liked it.

Cool, I'm guessing it's one I'll probably enjoy more than most then.

[ajzepp]

Ugh, I was wrong...this one really let me down. I may have felt differently if I hadn't been such a huge fan of the original, but just like Manchurian Candidate and Footloose, the remake just absolutely ruined a great first effort. The ending of the original Gambler is one of the best endings I've ever seen. As much as I like Mark Wahlberg, he just had nothing to work with here. The tension and angst of the original was tempered with the cool charisma of James Caan, all leading up to that amazing end. This one felt sloppy and rushed, with nothing really palpable goign on at all for me.

"The Gambler" (2014) - 5.8/10

"The Gambler" (1974) - 9.2/10

[mcgsxr]

I had higher hopes than what this delivered on.  I like Wahlburg, but this is not his best work sadly.

Did like the cameo's though.

[Rob Babcock]

I can understand why some are disappointed.  Due to the poor reviews I went in with low expectations which the movie exceeded.  It wasn't a masterpiece and probably inferior to the original (which I haven't seen).  Upon further reflection Brie Larson is a bit underutilized.  But I still enjoyed the film.