It’s a good hour into the movie before you realize you’re not watching anything. But seriously, that hour was something else.
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
A lightweight copy of better films that explore the destructive compulsion of wagering.
The movie offers no handholds for the audience, leaving us behind in a flurry of important-sounding but meaningless exchanges between two-dimensional characters.
It still seems like there should be more tension in Two for the Money than simply watching grown men bite their lips as they watch pro games on TV monitors.
Aside from Pacino's snappy contribution, the acting isn't very impressive -- even Armand Assante and Jeremy Piven are misused.
Who could have figured such a long-shot pairing would parlay into such a tasty payoff?
The fate of the world always seems to rest on the outcome of the big game. And after the umpteenth big game, we're long past caring.
What do blackjack tables and Al Pacino movies have in common? They each encourage you to gamble with your money.
You can see Al Pacino doing something he's done a lot lately: Having a terrific time being an actor.
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.
While there are parts of Two for the Money worth watching, it's ultimately not one worth putting your money on.
Por trás de uma trama aparentemente convencional, esconde-se um inteligente estudo de personagem beneficiado pela estupenda atuação de Pacino (que conta também com o belo desempenho de seu companheiro de elenco, McConaughey).
The hour spent on Brandon's downfall comes off as an unrevealing procedure.
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