Not the best bet on the block.
Two for the Money (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:107
Fresh:22
Rotten:85
Average Rating:4.7/10
Consensus: Despite its sportsmanlike swagger, Two for the Money’s aimless plot isn't worth betting on.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for pervasive language, a scene of sexuality and a violent act
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Oct 7, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $22,862,049
Synopsis: Two For the Money is a drama of high stakes set in the adrenalized world of wheeler-dealers whose fortunes are won and lost betting on sports. Matthew McConaughey stars as Brandon Lang, a former... Two For the Money is a drama of high stakes set in the adrenalized world of wheeler-dealers whose fortunes are won and lost betting on sports. Matthew McConaughey stars as Brandon Lang, a former college football star whose uncanny ability to predict the outcome of a game introduces him to an unexpected new career when his gridiron glory is sidelined by a crushing injury. Brandon's talent makes him a prime candidate for recruitment by Walter Abrams (Oscar®-winner Al Pacino), the head of one of the biggest sports consulting operations in the country. Walter hires the small town ex-athlete and grooms him into a shrewd front man. Brandon soon begins to enjoy his status as a Manhattan golden boy and finds himself growing comfortable with Walter's high-rolling lifestyle. The surrogate father/surrogate son relationship fattens Walter's business and personal accounts...until Brandon's golden touch begins to falter at the same time that Walter's manipulation of his protégé crosses the line. With millions of dollars on the line, Brandon and Walter engage in a deadly game of con versus con, each one trying to maintain the upper hand while everyone in their world, including Walter's wife, Toni (Rene Russo), are drawn into the escalating duel-where ultimately everything isn't what it appears to be. A taut "who's conning whom?" drama, Two For the Money is a Morgan Creek production, directed by D. J. Caruso (Taking Lives), written by Dan Gilroy and produced by James G. Robinson and Jay Cohen. The film is executive-produced by Guy McElwaine and David Robinson. --© Universal Pictures [More]
Starring: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Armand Assante, Rene Russo
Starring: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Armand Assante, Rene Russo, Jaime King, Jeremy Piven, Ralph Garman
Director: D.J. Caruso
Director: D.J. Caruso
Screenwriter: Dan Gilroy
Producer: James G. Robinson, Jay Cohen
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for Two for the Money
Does earn its place amongst the list of films that understand what gambling is and how the downs of it may just be the up.
A morality play about the pervasiveness of sports gambling in America.
Apart from the three lead performances, the movie is bad in the train-wreck sense. And that's also what makes it fascinating.
I don’t know what this film should have been called, but I think that the title “Two for the Money” is misleading.
The film rides on the believable chemistry of its trio. If it doesn't go all the way, it certainly sprints toward a climax that feels like a gripping 2-minute drill.
You know the filmmakers are manipulating the viewer when they intercut game footage with big dramatic scenes, but the acting (especially Pacino as the boss and Russo as his wife) is good enough that you don't mind too much.
A better-than-expected parable -- inspired by actual events -- about the power and reach of corruption.
The fun of this movie is seeing Pacino dive into the part and hang on for dear life, though the storyline zigzags from inconsistent to makes-no-sense-ville.
Por trás de uma trama aparentemente convencional, esconde-se um inteligente estudo de personagem beneficiado pela estupenda atuaçăo de Pacino (que conta também com o belo desempenho de seu companheiro de elenco, McConaughey).
You can see Al Pacino doing something he's done a lot lately: Having a terrific time being an actor.
Pacino's performance is only a few degrees shy of full-bore scenery-chewing, but the veteran actor stomps through this movie like a small Italian Godzilla.
Don't bet against these two fine actors. Although they shamelessly ham it up, the movie's biggest surprise is that we have almost as much fun as they do.
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