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After a major knee injury destroys his chances for playing in the NFL, Brandon Lang (Matthew McCoughnahey) ends up with a job recording 900-number recordings. Things begin to change for him, though, when he takes over a sports betting line. No one knows more about sports than Brandon—and his reputation for picking the winners has sports gamblers calling every day for his advice. And that’s where Walter Abrams (Al Pacino) finds him.
Walter is the head of a sports gambling hotline in New York. His people predict the winners and get their callers to bet all they’ve got—and whenever their callers win, Walter gets a cut from their bookies. To build his empire, he brings Brandon to New York and transforms him into John Anthony, The Million Dollar Man—a man who, unlike his quiet Southern alter ego, exudes confidence and style. Brandon/John is on top of the world. He’s got the best stats in the business, and he and his callers are all making tons of money. But then he starts to see the business and his boss for what they really are.
Considering this film’s cast list, it’s no surprise that the performances are excellent. Pacino is full of his trademark intensity—and McCoughnahey (AKA The Sexiest Man Alive) does his best to keep up with him, mixing Brandon’s laid-back Southern style with John’s poised New York style. Rene Russo (who plays Walter’s wife, Toni) gives an impressive performance as well, though her character’s role in the film is questionable. Russo and Pacino have little or no chemistry, however, and it’s hard to imagine the two of them as a believable married couple.
Two for the Money is an extremely intense film. And with every round of picks—with so much money at stake—things only get more intense. It’s easy to get caught up in the adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of do-or-die intensity I was looking for. There’s not really all that much at risk for Brandon—except maybe his high-paying job and the love and respect of his high-rolling callers. If he fails, people are just disappointed in him—and, when it all comes down to it, that’s not all that intense.
The film gets dragged out a bit longer than it needs to be—and the conclusion leaves a lot to be desired. The film ends somewhat abruptly, leaving a lot of unanswered questions. And while it feels like the filmmakers are trying to make some sort of important point (besides the obvious), I have no idea what that point is supposed to be. In fact, there were times during the movie, when the action would slow down, when I wondered to myself, So what’s the point of this movie? And I still can’t answer that question.
Sports gamblers looking for a relatively inexpensive adrenaline rush (at least it’s cheaper than betting on Saturday’s game) will enjoy this movie. But for the rest of you, unless you’re a huge fan of Pacino or McCoughnahey, you won’t be missing all that much if you don’t see it.
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