Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) ran an exclusive high-stakes poker game in LA and New York. This biopic starts with her teen years as an Olympic hopeful, moves on to the genesis of her enterprise and finally wraps around her arrest and trial. Chastain completes an appropriately strong presence as the powerful and driven entrepreneur. The other notable star is writer Aaron Sorkin in his first directorial effort. Obviously, the script has his rat-a-tat-tat style that’s wonderful in character interactions. The massive amounts of voiceover are less effective. He’s managed to keep the story involving, even though the poker sections get a bit confusing. Just like his writing style, the movie is overblown and could have benefited from a shorter length. Still, it’s a fascinating story with a commanding actor in charge.
(3.5 / 5)