Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the writer who brought us The Social Network, Moneyball, A Few Good Men, and the popular television series The West Wing, takes a turn in the world of Molly Brown with Molly’s Game. A true story about an Olympic hopeful skier’s career is wrecked. At the age of 26, Bloom uses her tenacity, stamina, wits, and perspicacity and takes over the ultimate boys club of exclusive high-stakes poker and builds an empire.
Sorkin directorial debut received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. His speed and energy can clearly be felt and seen as we watch Jessica Chastain, two-time Oscar-nominated actress for The Help and Zero Dark Thirty, plays Bloom. Chastain embodies Bloom like she does all the characters she plays.
In an interview, Sorkin talked about how he wanted Chastain to play this role. He envisioned her as Bloom and wrote with her in mind. Clearly, Chastain commands the movie, and Sorkin choice of casting is pristine. As a powerhouse, Chastain becomes Bloom as she runs a high-stakes poker game for a decade before becoming a target of the FBI.
Idris Elba, known for Star Trek: Beyond and Beasts of No Nation, joins Chastain as her only ally and criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey. It is through Jaffey’s story that we learn there is much more Bloom than what was printed in the tabloids. But, this isn’t new news to the audience. We are wiser than Sorkin allows us to be.
Perhaps, that is where the story drops and we are lost among the charismatic supporting characters of the story. I ask myself, “How did such a bright person alike Bloom get mixed up with a bunch of tainted characters?”
I am not sure if the scene with her father, played by Kevin Costner, answers that question, though I was hoping it would.
Her undoing was Russian gangsters and her abuse of Adderall, Xanax, cocaine, alcohol, and more becoming a drug addict. She is also abused and kicked, which Sorkin cuts to her skiing accident in the movie. Are these justifiable reasons for her demise?
The movie has a drive and energy coming from Chastain, and I admire her ability to portray such a complicated woman. Perhaps, you will see where Bloom took the wrong turn and ended up going against the Russians and FBI with the help of Jaffey.
Daniel Pemberton’s electronic soundtrack with titles like “Starring Down a Mountain,” “Play Your Hand,” and “All the Beauty in the World” adds to the intensity of the story. Pemberton has an impressive repertoire of both movies and television including Black Mirror, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Steve Jobs (Sorkin wrote the screenplay,) and Peep Show.
Chastain and Elba are surrounded by a stellar supporting cast, including Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Bill Camp, and Chris O’Dowd.
The bonus features are light with Building an Empire – Sorkin, and Chastain commenting on Molly Bloom’s true story.
In the final analysis, the positive aspect of Sorkin’s writing and directing is he did not glorify Bloom’s adventure. He presented a tapestry of anticipation, deception, and repartee.