Two For The Money Bets on Success

Filed in archive Betting on October 6, 2005

Sports betting movie, 'Two for the Money' gets released this weekend in the US to so-so reviews.

The movie is about a former college football star who seems to have a knack finding winners. He's so successful, Al Pacino's top sports betting company decides to hire him and promptly changes his image to that of 'playboy' extraordinaire - but of course, the gambling gods are fickle and his downfall is nigh

Despite a stellar cast that includes Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey, the film appears to lack a punch, according to most reviewers

"The gambling drama, "Two for the Money," has a good cast, a lot of New York flash and color and half an eye on the 1961 classic "The Hustler." Yet it never quite adds up to anything. It's engaging enough while it's going on, but has little visceral impact or resonance." SeattlePI.com"Predictability isn't the real problem though. Rather it's the filmmakers' inability, unlike Mamet and very few others, to make unsavory characters and raw, kitchen-sink psychology work in dramatic terms. A viewer must wonder who or what he is to root for among these symbiotic characters who prey upon each others' weaknesses." Reuters"If only McConaughey worked as hard on his dialogue as he does on his pecs; he needs to pull that tongue from his cheek and quit the party-boy cackling (ehhh-heh-heh-heh-heh) before someone throws beer in his face." Houston Chronicle