Movies that Best Portray Compulsive Gamblers

It goes without saying that the biggest drawback of gambling of any kind, sports betting included, is the potential for people to get hooked on it to such a degree that they cannot control their urges and keep betting despite the negative consequences this behavior causes them. That is the definition of compulsive betting, something that no one should glamorize. Multiple movies exist that show the more realistic side of this behavior, and here we give you five we think do this best. These are movies that show people who do not gamble out of greed but on account of specific character traits that make them engage in an activity that does them harm.

Two for the Money

Directed by D.J. Caruso, of Disturbia fame, and written by Dan Gilroy, best known as the man behind the critically acclaimed 2014 Jake Gyllenhaal flick Nightcrawler, Two for the Money is a semi-fictional dive into the sports handicapping world. It stars Matthew McConaughey as an ex-college football star named Brandon Lang, whose career got cut short due to injury and had to pivot into the gambling realm, where Walter Abrams, played by Al Pacino, spots Lang’s talents and hires him as a sports adviser in his betting consultancy firm, where Lang’s compulsive nature resurfaces, as he finds success there. He becomes addicted to the chase, with Walter enabling and exploiting his addiction.

Two for the Money was not a major hit in any sense, as it only grossed $30 million on a budget of $35 million. Critics were not wowed by it either, calling its storytelling formulaic. Nonetheless, many bettors seem to love it for its examination of gambling addiction and the performances put in by both of its charismatic leads.

Uncut Gems

The brainchild of the Safdie brothers, Josh and Benny, Uncut Gems is a high-tension character study of a compulsive gambler. It is similarly tension-inducing as their previous film Good Time, which starred Robert Pattinson. In this one, you get immersed in the chaos of New York’s Diamond District, where Howard Ratner, played by Adam Sandler, is a jeweler who just cannot stop betting on sports.

Uncut Gems’ subplot centers heavily on NBA betting, and the film features former Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Kevin Garnett, who plays himself in the movie. This is probably the best realistic depiction of a problem gambler the silver screen has seen, and it was a critical and commercial success, premiering at the Telluride and Toronto International Film Festivals, grossing over $50 million worldwide. For most, Uncut Gems is unforgettable due to its anxiety-inducing tone and relentless pace.

The Gambler (1974)

Behind Uncut Gems, the 1974 version of The Gambler, starring James Caan as Axel Freed, is likely the second-best movie portrayal of a compulsive gambler. Written by James Toback, the story here is partly based on the author’s own life, with the main character of The Gambler being a respected English professor with a crippling gambling addiction. The narrative explores the obsessive mindset of a man drawn to self-destruction through betting.

Axel’s addiction is not only monetary but philosophical as well, and the end shows that he was not in it for the money but for the thrill. The lure of gambling is not in winning but in taking on the unknown, assuming risk. The film was a modest box office hit, with Caan receiving widespread praise for the psychological realism he brought to his role. It is that which has helped this film carve out an enduring legacy as a deep exploration of gambling as a psychological illness. Axel is not portrayed as slick or cool but as someone with a massive problem who cannot control himself, unraveling in full view of the audience.

The Gambler (2014)

This is an inferior remake of the 1974 classic, directed by Rupert Wyatt and written by William Monahan, who wrote the 2006 Martin Scorsese masterpiece – The Departed. It stars Mark Wahlberg as Jim Bennett, essentially Caan’s role, but with a different name. The plot of this film differs from the one in the original, and it is not as gritty, even though it looks to cover much of the same ground.

The film was a critical and financial failure, grossing $30 million on a budget of $31 million. Mark Wahlberg’s performance divided viewers, and even with the film’s stylish direction, many noted that it lacked the raw emotion of its predecessor. That is something we agree with. While the 2014 iteration is decent, it fails to capture the vibe and aura of the original.

Silver Linings Playbook

Released in 2012, based on the novel of the same name by Matthew Quick, Silver Linings Playbook, directed by the controversial David O. Russell, is a romantic comedy with psychological drama elements. It stars Bradley Cooper as Pat Solitano, a man with bipolar disorder navigating recovery and family dysfunction.

This is not a film about gambling, more so one about relationships between people. Robert De Niro plays Bradley Cooper’s father in Silver Linings Playbook, a role for which he got an Oscar nomination. His character of Patrizio Solitano Sr. is one of a compulsive gambler obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is the type of bettor who is obsessed with irrational superstitions, and desperation further drives his magical thinking that he can influence events via things like having his son attend games.

What is interesting about this movie is that the NFL was unhappy with how betting was portrayed here, as it was of the illegal kind and as something super bad, that they refused to promote the film in any way or allow its stars to get interviewed during game breaks.

Silver Linings Playbook grossed over $236 million worldwide on a $21 million budget. It got eight Oscar nominations, with Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress. The realism of the family dynamic represented in the story here, with Pat Sr.’s addiction, portrayed subtly but effectively, is what makes it stand out. It also helps it explore larger themes, like the thin line between madness and normalcy, and the struggle for control in chaos. It is a movie about healing.

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