An electric performance by Jessica Chastain drives “Molly’s Game,” based on the true story of a woman who ran into the law for running high stakes poker games played by celebrities who could afford to buy in. Writer-director Aaron Sorkin, certainly realizing Chastain’s potential, peppers the film with fast-paced dialogue and action tailor-made for her talent.
Sorkin based his film on the book that the real Molly Bloom wrote with the expansive title, “Molly’s Game: From Hollywood’s Elite to Wall Street’s Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker.” The title just about sums up the film version’s plot.
First we see Chastain struggling to find herself, from a doomed sports career to working at a seedy club. Eureka—she is discovered by Jeremy Strong as a guy who needs help running a poker game with high stakes. Molly has found her calling.
She learns the ropes and becomes a tough gal who can deal with men as a no-nonsense woman who knows her stuff and is a clever manipulator. Is this women’s lib? Yes, in a strange sort of way. Chastain invests Molly with precision and power, and Sorkin’s smart screenplay is at her service as she runs games in both Los Angeles and New York.
Of course, we know that the law is always lurking and Molly will be targeted. How does she fare? See the movie to find out and in the process enjoy being taken into the gambling world with much detail and the tension that goes with betting huge sums of money.
One thing is certain: Chastain gives one of the stellar performances of the year in the leading actress category. A STX Films release. Reviewed December 25, 2017.