The Gambler

Directed by Karel Reisz, The Gambler follows James Caan’s Axel Freed as he attempts to get his increasingly problematic addiction to gambling under control. Filmmaker Reisz, working from James Toback’s screenplay, delivers a methodical yet progressively enthralling drama that benefits substantially from Caan’s top-notch turn as the sympathetic protagonist, and there’s little doubt, as well, that the compulsively watchable atmosphere is heightened by a continuing emphasis on compelling, electrifying sequences – including an impressively tense sequence detailing Axel’s Vegas-set exploits. The proliferation of engaging figures around the movie’s margins only perpetuates the authentic, entertaining feel, as Reisz elicits strong work from an eclectic roster of such periphery players as Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutton, and Burt Young. (The latter is unexpectedly convincing and downright disturbing as a violent enforcer.) And although the picture loses a little momentum in its second half, particularly as Reisz stresses Axel’s less-than-captivating efforts at fixing a pivotal high-school basketball game, The Gambler, which is capped off with a striking (and completely bizarre) climax, has nevertheless cemented its place as a better-than-average character study that boasts one of Caan’s very best performances.

*** out of ****

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