CNS Movie Review: Two for the Money

Two for the Money

By David DiCerto
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- At one point in director D.J. Caruso's uninvolving drama "Two For the Money" (Universal), Al Pacino, who plays a blustering bookie, tells a group of fellow recovering gambling addicts that the root of their problem lies in some inherent personal flaw. "We're lemons!"

So, it must be said, is this movie.

Delivering yet another master class in apoplectic acting, the gravel-voiced icon stars with Matthew McConaughey, as Brandon Lane, a former star college quarterback with a Midas touch for picking winners. After a career-ending injury, Brandon finds himself in a dead-end gig predicting scores on a Las Vegas 900-number.

His talent catches the attention of Walter Abraham (Pacino), a "Jimmy the Greek"-like oddsmaker who recruits Brandon to a big-time sports betting operation he runs in New York City, which Walter assures him is perfectly legit. (They only offer "free advice," taking a commission on the winnings.)

Part mentor, part con artist, Walter grooms Brandon as his protege, including a running tutorial on how to say the f-word. While his hunches stay hot, Brandon is the toast of the town, enjoying a high life of fast cars, beautiful women and $1,000 bottles of wine.

But their surrogate-father-son relationship cools when Brandon hits a cold streak, a turn of luck that threatens not only their friendship but their lives after they lose their clients (including a thuggish Armand Assante) millions of dollars.

As with these types of modern morality plays, Brandon is tempted by the standard seductions of money and glamour, but, though he temporarily succumbs to their allure, there is never much doubt that he will be humbled and reach the end credits with his soul intact.

McConaughey alternates between smug and shirtless-smug, and Rene Russo makes the most of her limited role as Walter's long-suffering wife, Toni. Elevating scenery-chewing to an art form, Pacino is always watchable.

McConaughey's cockiness and Pacino's histrionics aside, the real problem with the testosterone-juiced movie is that it lacks a likable character (except maybe Toni) or a strong script.

Smart money will go elsewhere.

The film contains a sexual encounter with suggested shadowy nudity, a wince-inducing sports injury, gambling themes, a crass scene of urination and much rough and crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

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DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

END

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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