Runner Runner

Liked what happens in Runner Runner more than the film itself.

It's too generic for my tastes, not the kind of generic film that recognizes its shortcomings and works an awkward self-critical yet confident and bedazzling dimension into its reels, haughty and sporty, arrogant yet maudlin, but the kind that directly deals with a popular contemporary pastime (online gambling) by utilizing a straightforward style with all the associated bells and whistles, to maximize its take home without taking any serious risks.

Throughout the film serious risks are taken, the plot necessitates serious risk taking, it's just that it takes these serious risks leisurely and comfortably, straightforwardly, if that makes sense.

This aspect is best represented by the crocodile scene.

It still employs clever underground reversals however that made me glad I stuck it out till the end.

To avoid giving away what happens, imagine a situation where a brilliant statistical analyst has the worst possible luck and his financial situation dictates that alternative methods must be embraced if he's to succeed, like Inception's Cobb, the socioeconomic dice stacked against him in each and every sophisticated spin of the wheel, in/formal inter/national legalities stacking the deck, but tries to maximize his profits anyways, even though it could result in the loss of everything.

He makes his bet.

Doubles down.

Throws in the chips.

Undergrounds within undergrounds.

Proceeding delicately.