Molly's Game
Short description
Molly's Game centers on Molly Bloom, a former Olympic skiing hopeful whose athletic career ends after an injury. She moves to Los Angeles, where she first assists her boss in running a weekly poker game before breaking out on her own and organizing a far more exclusive, high-stakes operation. Hollywood actors, star athletes and wealthy businessmen are drawn to her tables, and she builds a lucrative underground business over several years. The enterprise eventually attracts the attention of federal investigators and brings her into contact with organized crime figures, and she is arrested by the FBI. Her defense lawyer, Charlie Jaffey, becomes her main ally as she faces the charges.
The film is Aaron Sorkin's first work as a director, following a long career as a screenwriter; he also wrote the screenplay. Jessica Chastain plays Molly, with Idris Elba as Charlie Jaffey, Kevin Costner as her father Larry, and Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong and Chris O'Dowd in supporting roles. It runs 141 minutes and was made for about 30 million dollars, earning roughly 59 million worldwide.
On IMDb it holds 7.4 from about 203,000 votes, while on TMDB it has 7.2 from over 4,000 votes. A critics' rating of 7.1 from 301 reviews places it close to the audience scores, indicating a generally similar reception from reviewers and viewers.
What's left behind the scenes
- Molly Bloom personally wanted Jessica Chastain to star in the lead role and informed director Aaron Sorkin of this.
- Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba had only 10 days to film their scenes together. The scenes were rehearsed before filming began and during breaks between takes.
- At the 46th minute of the film, during the scene of a conversation between the lawyer and the main character, her sweater slips off her right shoulder and then is put back on repeatedly.
- Idris Elba's character works at the fictional law firm of Gage Whitney. Gage Whitney (sometimes referred to as Gage Whitney Pace) appears several times in early works by Aaron Sorkin: most notably as the law firm where Sam Seaborn worked before joining Bartlet's presidential campaign in 'The West Wing.' The firm is also mentioned in 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip' and 'The Newsroom.'
- Molly Bloom, who pleaded guilty to a federal crime in the United States, is prohibited from entering Canada; however, she was granted permission by the authorities of that country for a 48-hour stay – to attend the premiere of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- Molly's lawyer (Idris Elba) reads Molly's published book 'The Game' in the film. In reality, the book was not published until after the conclusion of Molly Bloom's trial.
- Writer and director Aaron Sorkin made a cameo appearance as one of the players in the underground poker tournament.
- The amount of money the FBI took from Molly, as well as the fine she paid, are greatly exaggerated in the film.
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