Runner Runner Reviews
thmtsang
Super Reviewer
October 6, 2013
Good movie and interesting plot. Justin needs money for his Masters degree at Princeton. He uses an online casino but loses his money. He realises he has been cheated out of his money. He goes to Costa Rica to confront the casino tycoon Ben. Who offers him a job. Movie produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
MANUGINO
Super Reviewer
October 3, 2013
Great Movie!!! I'm proud to say I was part of this movie, I was an extra and i'm shown on camera on 2 scenes during the underground casino basement parts. I very much enjoy this film not only because I was part of it but because the movie is just cool to watch and intriguing based on true events. It was film in my home country of Puerto Rico (not Costa Rica) which is a beautiful island full of beautiful people. "Runner Runner" shows a life of excess in an exotic paradise, which captivates the student crippled by university fees. From beautiful scenery to hedonistic lifestyle, there is simply everything the young man can imagine. Soon afterwards, he discovers that his job is not as sweet as he thought it was, and he had to get himself out of the terrible mess. With Ben Affleck the Oscar winner, and Justin Timberlake the heartthrob, "Runner Runner" has a winning formula. The script is tight and full of surprises, I enjoyed the ride through the exotic paradise and the dark underworld of the corrupt corporation.
Princeton grad student Richie, believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block. Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.
Play. Or be played.
Great Movie!!! I'm proud to say I was part of this movie, I was an extra and i'm shown on camera on 2 scenes during the underground casino basement parts. I very much enjoy this film not only because I was part of it but because the movie is just cool to watch and intriguing based on true events. It was film in my home country of Puerto Rico (not Costa Rica) which is a beautiful island full of beautiful people. "Runner Runner" shows a life of excess in an exotic paradise, which captivates the student crippled by university fees. From beautiful scenery to hedonistic lifestyle, there is simply everything the young man can imagine. Soon afterwards, he discovers that his job is not as sweet as he thought it was, and he had to get himself out of the terrible mess. With Ben Affleck the Oscar winner, and Justin Timberlake the heartthrob, "Runner Runner" has a winning formula. The script is tight and full of surprises, I enjoyed the ride through the exotic paradise and the dark underworld of the corrupt corporation.
Princeton grad student Richie, believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block. Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.
www.themoviewaffler.com
Super Reviewer
September 28, 2013
Having missed its press screening, I caught 'Runner Runner' on its opening day and was instantly reminded why I hate public screenings. Seated two rows ahead and to my right was an idiot with a smartphone, or should that be "idiotphone", the light from which could have been used by a Gestapo officer to interrogate a suspected member of the French Resistance. I waited patiently through the commercials and trailers but when the offender showed no signs of putting the device away, I was forced to shout a warning across the rows. To my pleasant surprise, the light was immediately turned off (usually they either ignore me or begrudgingly comply, comparing me to a piece of male anatomy under their breath) and I relaxed into my seat. Halfway through Brad Furman's "thriller" I was beginning to regret taking such a stern stance, as a beam of light in the corner of my eye would have provided a welcome distraction from the inanity onscreen.
Those irate about Affleck's casting in 'Superman & Batman's High School Reunion', or whatever it's to be called, won't be reassured by his performance here, as the actor seems to be in some kind of hypnotic trance. To be fair, only someone under the influence of a hypnotist could have read this script and agreed to any further involvement. Arterton seems genuinely disinterested throughout, like a pretty girl desperate to escape from a disastrous blind date. The only person making any effort is Timberlake, but his usual boundless enthusiasm here resembles a family member cracking jokes at a funeral to lighten the mood; nobody's appreciating it.
The script makes the plot seem a lot more complicated than it actually is and I couldn't help wonder if an earlier draft didn't feature a homoerotic sub-plot between Affleck and Timberlake, as there are several moments where Affleck looks on with jealousy as Timberlake romances Arterton, but it's never made exactly clear who he's jealous of. Had this been explored further it would have at least provided the ounce of originality this film badly requires.
Richie (Timberlake) is paying his way through Princeton University by working as an affiliate for Midnight Black, a successful online gambling site. He receives a commission for signing up his fellow students but when the father of one student complains to the college Dean, Richie is told he must quit working for the site or he is no longer welcome at Princeton. Desperate for cash to pay his tuition, Richie pulls an all-nighter playing poker on Midnight Black. After amassing over $50,000, almost enough to cover his fees, Richie is suddenly cheated out of his winnings. He heads to Costa Rica, where the site operates from, and confronts Ivan Block (Affleck), head of the online empire. Impressed by Richie's knowledge, Block hires the student and Richie soons finds himself in over his head, with the FBI and local mobsters showing an unwanted interest in his new career.
Having missed its press screening, I caught 'Runner Runner' on its opening day and was instantly reminded why I hate public screenings. Seated two rows ahead and to my right was an idiot with a smartphone, or should that be "idiotphone", the light from which could have been used by a Gestapo officer to interrogate a suspected member of the French Resistance. I waited patiently through the commercials and trailers but when the offender showed no signs of putting the device away, I was forced to shout a warning across the rows. To my pleasant surprise, the light was immediately turned off (usually they either ignore me or begrudgingly comply, comparing me to a piece of male anatomy under their breath) and I relaxed into my seat. Halfway through Brad Furman's "thriller" I was beginning to regret taking such a stern stance, as a beam of light in the corner of my eye would have provided a welcome distraction from the inanity onscreen.
Those irate about Affleck's casting in 'Superman & Batman's High School Reunion', or whatever it's to be called, won't be reassured by his performance here, as the actor seems to be in some kind of hypnotic trance. To be fair, only someone under the influence of a hypnotist could have read this script and agreed to any further involvement. Arterton seems genuinely disinterested throughout, like a pretty girl desperate to escape from a disastrous blind date. The only person making any effort is Timberlake, but his usual boundless enthusiasm here resembles a family member cracking jokes at a funeral to lighten the mood; nobody's appreciating it.
The script makes the plot seem a lot more complicated than it actually is and I couldn't help wonder if an earlier draft didn't feature a homoerotic sub-plot between Affleck and Timberlake, as there are several moments where Affleck looks on with jealousy as Timberlake romances Arterton, but it's never made exactly clear who he's jealous of. Had this been explored further it would have at least provided the ounce of originality this film badly requires.
October 5, 2013
It's trash movie but you have to dumb it down to be able to finish the entire film. It's just another Ben Affleck's movie. Skip it.
October 4, 2013
Dueling a-hole gamblers gamble on other dueling a-holes, speaking a-hole gamble-ese, not recommended.
October 2, 2013
Everyone here does well, and it starts off alright, but it's so predictable and bland after about 20 minutes. Very light and poorly written, terrible camerawork. Has it's moments but overall doesn't come together.
October 6, 2013
Not horrible, I think it was bad casting of the characters that made this not quite good.
October 6, 2013
A group of us went to see Runner,Runner today and liked it very much. Would recommend it.
October 6, 2013
"Runner Runner" wasn't as bad as I expected, but then again I set my expectations very low based on all the terrible reviews. The good news is that there is some really nice views of Costa Rica and for the guys there are lots of great looking women to be seen and for the ladies we have Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, one of which appears in virtually every scene. The bad news is that the storyline is flakey to put it mildly, the editing is messy, the dialogue is terrible and the acting sucks. Definitely miss this one at the Cineplex and wait until it comes out on one of the free streaming services some time when you don't have anything else available to you or just want to see Costa Rica and/or Ben and JT.
October 6, 2013
This is an engaging movie. Decent story, well acted and directed. That's entertainment
July 5, 2013
A poor script and a complete lack of suspense and drama help Runner Runner squander its impressive cast and potentially intriguing storyline.
October 6, 2013
It lacks suspense, it's predictable and doesn't get in your head. Huge disappointment...
October 6, 2013
What poop!!!! Absolute stinker! "The next Batman is Ben Affleck"......now let that sink in ladies and gentlemen.
