Superb Acting, Mediocre Storytelling

Rating: 7/10 (20 August 2017)

The story itself is interesting but nothing special, a yarn about a Vegas college footballer who becomes the prodigy of a New York betting shark, lifted above mediocrity by two superb masterclasses in acting from Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey. Truth is there's no likable people here, and the cloying, against-all-the-odds ending is in poor taste. But the performances make it worth seeing at least once, Pacino in particular is having a blast as the wise-cracking shark and Matthew McConaughey is no slouch here either. Just a shame the story isn't that captivating, unless betting on football games is your thing.