Runner Runner: The Online Gambling World

Hello everybody! Today we have a film about the online gambling world, Runner Runner.

RUNNER RUNNER

DIRECTOR: Brad Furman

STARRING: Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton, Anthony Mackie, Ben Affleck

GENRE: Crimer-thriller

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United States

Princeton grad student Richie, believing he’s been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block. Richie is seduced by Block’s promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

Runner Runner caught my eye, as it is in the realm of what I call “gambling films”. A few films in this sub genre are 21, Rounders, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. I thought that Justin Timberlake was decent in his role, when he rattled off the math he uses to prove cheating online gambling I actually believed he knew what he was talking about. Ben Affleck is hilarious in this as well, he was just the right amount of insane for his character to actually work.

I was disappointed that after the first act of Runner Runner, the film turns into any typical thriller. The plot is a simple crime thriller, which could have been changed so much to make it so much better. Also I have to include Gemma Arterton. Her performance was disappointing since she should have been on the same level as Affleck and Timberlake.

PROS:

• Online gambling casino math.
• Inside jokes.
• Justin Timberlake performance.
• Ben Affleck performance.

CONS:

• Simple crime plot line.
• Gemma Arterton performance.

SCORE: 7.2 / 10

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