- Film Review
- Reviewed By Damon Wise
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3 out of 5
The foul-mouthed spirit of David Mamet hangs heavy over this modern-day crime drama set during the Bush-Obama handover in 2008. It begins with two petty criminals, Scoot McNairy (Monsters) and Ben Mendelsohn (Animal Kingdom), being briefed by a small-time mobster on a job that involves holding up a high-stakes poker game run by local bigshot Ray Liotta. But then the victims of the stick-up bring in enforcer Brad Pitt to hunt down the dimwitted culprits. Pitt is terrific as the cold-blooded but practical gunman, and his effortlessly cool, world-weary presence makes up for the film's shortcomings, despite his relatively late entry into the proceedings. Otherwise, this a talky and heavy-handed comment on post-financial crisis USA that fails to add anything new to the gangster genre, and is only saved from earnest preaching by a raucous turn from James Gandolfini as a drunk, womanising and ultimately incompetent hitman, and some well-executed, gripping set pieces.
Plot Summary
Two small-time crooks rob an illegal poker game run by the Mob. A hitman is sent to resolve the situation by either tracking down the culprits or making an example of the gangster who organised the game, but his decision to involve a washed-up old friend threatens the assignment. Crime thriller, starring Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini and Ray Liotta.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Jackie Cogan
- Brad Pitt
- Markie Trattman
- Ray Liotta
- Frankie
- Scoot McNairy
- Russell
- Ben Mendelsohn
- Driver
- Richard Jenkins
- Mickey
- James Gandolfini
- Johnny Amato
- Vincent Curatola
- Kenny Gill
- Slaine
- Barry Caprio
- Max Casella
- Steve Caprio
- Trevor Long
- Dillon
- Sam Shepard
Crew
- Director
- Andrew Dominik
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