Richard Messner

Richard Messner is the main protagonist of Smokin' Aces.
Buddy "Aces" Israel, a mob informant targeted for assassination. Messner's background includes experience in undercover operations, and he finds himself thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse as he tries to keep Aces alive amidst a flurry of dangerous adversaries. Throughout the film, Messner faces moral dilemmas and personal challenges as he navigates the murky world of law enforcement and organized crime. His character provides a grounded and relatable perspective amidst the chaos of the unfolding events.
He was portrayed by , who also played Deadpool in the X-Men films, Hal Jordan in Green Lantern (2011), Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity, Nick Walker in R.I.P.D., Paul Conroy in Buried, Guy in Free Guy, Michael Bryce in The Hitman's Bodyguard, and voiced Guy in The Croods, Pikachu in Detective Pikachu and Theo in Turbo. 
== Biography ==
Richard Messner was a seasoned FBI agent. For years, he'd chased down criminals and protected people as part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His partner on this particular case was a more easygoing guy named Donald Carruthers. They both answered to the higher-ups at the FBI, following orders and upholding the law. Messner's job wasn't always glamorous, but it was important. He investigated crimes, tracked down bad guys, and sometimes, like in this case, had to act as a bodyguard for people in danger, even if those people were a little… unpredictable.
Richard Messner wasn't exactly pumped about his new job with the FBI. But one day he was assigned a mission. The mission? Babysitting Buddy "Aces" Israel, a washed-up magician with a shady past who'd turned against his gangster buddies and was now spilling the beans to the feds. Messner, a seasoned agent with a dry wit and a touch of world-weariness, knew this wouldn't be a walk in the park. His partner, Donald Carruthers, was a more easygoing guy, a stark contrast to Messner's no-nonsense attitude. But hey, they had a job to do, and protecting a self-destructive informant was just another day at the FBI, even if Messner couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Carruthers getting stuck with this mess.
Things went sideways fast when they arrived at the fancy Lake Tahoe hotel. News of a big reward for whacking Israel had attracted a whole crew of assassins, each more ruthless than the last. Security guards started dropping like flies as the violence escalated. Disbelief and frustration were written all over Messner's face. This wasn't supposed to be a shootout; it was supposed to be a simple witness protection gig. Here he was, stuck in the middle of it all, his years of training kicking in as he assessed the situation with a focused gaze.
Things got even worse when the big boss at the FBI, Deputy Director Locke, suddenly pulled the plug on the deal they offered Israel. Confusion and a growing sense of unease clouded Messner's expression. This wasn't how things were supposed to work. Protecting informants was about playing by the rules, offering a way out in exchange for information. This whole thing felt… off. A seed of doubt about Locke's motives and the FBI's real goals started to sprout in Messner's mind.
Messner learns about the Tremor Brothers' involvement in the murders of three people and the disposal of their bodies in the lake and takes decisive action. He also learns that they are disguised as Nomad Security, and already have infiltrated the penthouse. Messner and his team find the Tremor Brothers' victims and rush to protect Buddy "Aces" Israel in the hotel penthouse. When they reach the penthouse casino, Messner begins interrogating employees and casino patrons for information. Simultaneously, Messner's colleague, Carruthers, rides an elevator with an assassin, posing as Nomad Security, in an attempt to thwart the impending danger. 
 
The whole situation exploded when Carruthers was brutally killed by the psycho assassin while the assassin himself was also wounded by Carruthers. Grief and anger choked Messner, his face hardening with resolve. This wasn't just about protecting Israel anymore; it was about something bigger, something rotten at the core. Witnessing the carnage unfold, the manipulative tactics of Locke, and the blatant disregard for human life, Messner's disillusionment reached a boiling point. He knew what he had to do. Someone called Locke cancelled a deal to protect Buddy Israel and told everyone to keep it quiet from Messner and his partner, Carruthers. Meanwhile, on another floor, an assassin attacked the security guards and framed Ivy, another one of Buddy's guys. In the chaos, Israel tried to kill himself after finding out about the cancelled deal. 
On a different floor of the hotel, another assassin named Georgia stumbled upon an elevator where she found two dead bodies – Carruthers and another assassin named Acosta – who had somehow managed to kill each other. While talking to her teammate over the radio, not realizing Carruthers' radio was still on, Messner overheard Georgia's conversation. Now suspicious, Messner went to investigate the floor where Georgia was hiding. Georgia, surrounded by Messner's men, called for backup from a sniper on another building. A bloody shootout ensued as Georgia and her unseen sniper picked off Messner's team. Acosta, though wounded by Carruthers, managed to shoot Georgia before succumbing to his own injuries.
Trapped in an elevator with a dying Carruthers, Messner learned the extent of his partner's wounds. Carruthers died shortly after, leaving a devastated Messner calling for medical help. He pulled the bodies out of the elevator and tried to revive Carruthers, but it was too late. As the chaos continued around him, Messner desperately performed CPR on his fallen partner amidst the gunfire. 
After the brutal shootout with Georgia's team, Messner was left shaken and grieving over Carruthers' death. Exhausted and emotionally raw, he stumbled upon the stairwell where Georgia, wounded but still dangerous, was trying to escape with Ivy, another of Buddy Israel's associates. In a surprising move, Messner had a standoff with Ivy and Georgia, they talked things through and then he let the surviving hitwoman and Sir Ivy, Israel's right-hand man, escape. This wasn't about letting criminals walk free; it was about breaking the cycle of violence, a silent protest against the system that had taken his partner and was now exploiting Israel.
Richard Messner was deeply impacted by his partner Carruthers' death. Witnessing Carruthers succumb to his wounds in the elevator shaft left Messner emotionally devastated. Grief and anger fueled his actions for the rest of the film, culminating in his defiance against the corrupt system he believed was responsible for the carnage.
The final act was a desperate rebellion. Bursting into the operating room where a barely-alive Israel was being prepped as a heart donor for the very mob boss who put a price on his head, Messner's expression was a mask of grim determination. Ignoring the orders screamed through his earpiece, he shut down the machines, effectively killing both Israel and the mob boss. This wasn't about saving Israel – the guy was practically a goner anyway – it was about refusing to be a pawn in a twisted game of life and death.
As the dust settled, Messner stood stripped of his badge and gun, the weight of his defiance heavy on him. The future was uncertain, getting kicked out of the FBI a real possibility. But a flicker of defiance, a hint of pride in his eyes, suggested that while he might have lost the game, he hadn't lost his sense of what was right. Messner, the jaded agent, had become a symbol of rebellion, a man who chose his own kind of justice over the demands of a corrupt system. His story, though brief, served as a stark reminder of the human cost of blind obedience and the courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in, even when it means losing everything.
== Quotes ==
== Gallery ==
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== Trivia ==
* In the movie "Smokin' Aces," Ryan Reynolds portrays FBI agent Richard Messner. Messner is a determined and skilled agent tasked with protecting 
* Adapting the Script: The role of Messner was originally written for a much older actor. The script was reworked to accommodate Phillippe's younger portrayal, focusing on his disillusionment with the FBI system.
* While not explicitly confirmed, some fans speculate that Messner's character might draw inspiration from real-life FBI whistle-blowers like Fred Whitehurst, who exposed corruption within the agency.
* For Ryan Phillippe, Messner was a departure from his usual leading-man roles. He enjoyed portraying a more complex and morally conflicted character.
* Despite the film's action sequences, Messner's dry humor provides a welcome contrast to the violence. His one-liners add a layer of personality and help navigate the tense situations.
* Messner's standoff scene with Georgia in the stairwell was reportedly challenging to film due to the tight space and complex choreography.
* The scene where Messner lets Georgia and Ivy escape was filmed multiple times to capture the emotional weight of his decision.
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