Veteran film maker Schrader tells a classic little tale we've seen before, about a broken man who, as he tries to get himself out of the life he has chosen, has the chance to save a younger man from such a life. But he blends together a few interesting and surprising elements to give it a unique spin that makes it something more than one might expect. And at the centre of this is Oscar Isaac, one of the most fascinating actors to watch right now giving another excellent performance and giving the movie the right amount of power.
Schrader sets his story in the world of poker, but the less glamorous end of it. This is a work a day circuit kind of gambling world. It allows him to imbue his story with just enough desperation to put us on edge but also a sexy enough energy to keep us hooked. Then he adds in a background of American imperialist war crimes to raise the stakes into something truly upsetting. And in the middle of all this he builds a trio of characters who we can connect with, and to each other, to make it personal. He films each element slightly differently, from a nightmare approach to the torture prisons run by the US around the world, to the softer, dimly lit world of poker tournaments, occasionally finding moments of electric colour to highlight when there might be a moment of hope.
The Card Counter has a great little story with good characters and a very satisfying gut punch ending that eschews the blood and gore that other film makers might have used to keep the violence off screen but the emotions front and centre. Schrader tells this story smoothly with creativity. It may follow an arc that we can see coming but it does so in a way that delivers on its promise. And it gives us another opportunity to see Isaac practice his craft which is always enjoyable.
The Card Counter
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe
Writer/Director: Paul Schrader
No comments:
Post a Comment