Question: Build a movie plot around this: Who runs a gambling establishment? Mr. Lin
Answer:
The film has a nonlinear narrative. It contains numerous flash-forward and flashback cuts, indicated with an overlaid digital clock showing the time advancing rapidly forward/backward to the next scene. In chronological order:Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a disenchanted Columbia Law School graduate who has put off taking the bar exam because he could not bear to enter the humdrum life of the legal profession. He finds meaning and purpose in being employed as a thrill-seeking New York City bicycle messenger despite arguments with his girlfriend and fellow bike messenger, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), who insists that he should make something of himself.Vanessa's roommate, Nima (Jamie Chung), has asked Vanessa to move out for a personal reason she doesn't disclose. Vanessa is in the process of packing her few belongings. Nima delivers $50,000 that she has saved for two years to Mr. Leung (Henry O), a Chinese hawaladar, in exchange for a ticket that she must deliver to Sister Chen, buying a place for Nima's son and mother in one of Sister Chen's ships on which gangs smuggle people from China to the United States.Mr. Lin, a local loan shark, has learned of the ticket and that whoever returns it to Mr. Leung can collect Nima's money. He approaches Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon), a gambling-addicted NYPD detective who owes him money, offering to clear Monday's debt if Monday gets him the ticket. Monday begins searching for Nima, who decides to hire Wilee to deliver the envelope with the ticket to Sister Chen by 7 pm after Nima is told by Leung that anyone who knew she was visiting him is a loose end which could cause her to be in possible danger if she tries to deliver the ticket herself. Wilee and Nima conduct their transaction at the college where Nima is a student. After Wilee leaves, Nima is confronted by Monday, who sees the courier receipt Wilee gave her. He is able to steal the receipt from Nima. After Monday leaves, Vanessa finds Nima, and learns the contents of the envelope.Monday catches up with Wilee...