Lay the Favorite

  • 15
  • Stephen Frears (2012)
  • US
  • 89 min
Film Review
Reviewed By
3 out of 5

Following her sobering role as a debunker of spiritualism in The Awakening, Rebecca Hall shows off her comic credentials in this giddy fact-based romp set in the world of high-stakes professional betting. She plays a ditzy former private dancer with a gift for numbers who goes to Las Vegas to become a cocktail waitress and ends up acting as the good-luck charm for a fretful, old-school gambler (Bruce Willis). Until it all goes wrong, of course and Hall is driven into the arms of nice journalist Joshua Jackson and Willis's rival New York bookie, Vince Vaughn. Despite some uneven storytelling, director Stephen Frears's comedic touch is fantastically feel-good, adorning even the scarier twists and turns with a glossy and uplifting hopefulness. There are delightful performances all around, but the surprise of the show is Catherine Zeta-Jones who's laugh-out-loud funny as Willis's stiffly beautiful but no-nonsense wife.

Plot Summary

A former stripper goes to Las Vegas to seek her fortune, but ends up working as a cocktail waitress. However, a professional gambler hires her to help with his scams and she soon proves to have a knack for it - but arouses the jealousy of her mentor's wife. Comedy, starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vince Vaughn.

Cast and crew

Cast

Beth Raymer
Rebecca Hall
Dink Heimowitz
Bruce Willis
Tulip Heimowitz
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Jeremy
Joshua Jackson
Rosie
Vince Vaughn
Holly
Laura Prepon
Darren
Joel Murray
Frankie
Frank Grillo
Dave Greenberg
John Carroll Lynch
Jerry
Corbin Bernsen
Scott
Wayne Pere

Crew

Director
Stephen Frears

Other Information

Language: 
English
Colour
Theatrical distributor: 
E1 Entertainment
Guidance: 
Swearing, sexual references.
Available on DVD
Released 22 Jun 2012
Certificate 15
Categories
Comedy

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