Tuesday, June 21, 2022

The Card Counter

Oscar Isaac plays Will Tell, an ex-con card player who makes a living driving from one casino to the next, playing blackjack and poker, winning just enough to stay under the radar. He enjoys being a low stakes winner. When he meets a kid that raises some memories of his painful past, Tell makes efforts to help the kid out. In some ways this is a fascinating character study. But I also found myself wondering on several occasions "where is this going?". The question itself is not bad if it is borne of curiosity and engagement. But when it festers out of confusion or boredom, we know that something is lacking (usually the script). It did eventually go somewhere, stayed true to its dark genes throughout, and in hindsight was a "slice of life" memoir for a character that we don't normally encounter. 

3 stars (out of 5) 

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