Writing that jumps from the page

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2018)

Sorkin has always been a stellar writer, but in recent years he has honed his craft so precisely in biopics that the next sensible step would of course be to try his hand at directing his own script. Thankfully, he's now proven that he knows what he's doing behind the camera just as well as he knows how to write a gripping scene.
And scene after scene in Molly's game jumps off the page like the best scripts do. The actors all seem to be relishing in the freedom of strong characterization and dialogue that they are completely aware will land as intended. Acting out a Sorkin script must be a wet dream for many who dedicate themselves to the craft.
Molly's game follows a somewhat classic arc: a character rises in the underworld, gaining power through deceit and immorality, until things start to crumble and fall in pieces around them. In this case, the character is Molly, played wonderfully by Jessica Chastain in her strongest role to date; a strong, wily woman who carries the film on her own shoulders like the wind is on her back.
I also love a film where you learn something about a process you never thought much about before. The mechanics of how underground poker games are run are so well described in Molly's Game, that it anchors the film into something true and gripping, and we are engrossed because we are learning something as well as being wildly entertained by the scripts oratorical pleasures, (and some excellent and surprising casting decisions.)
I appreciated this film a lot, for its commitment to characters, plot and script, fundamentals which are sometimes overlooked in lieu of style or effects. The film surely has a strong, defined style about it, but it smartly refuses to be overruled by the carefully constructed foundation underlying it.
Great film, with a re-watchability factor built in.