A 2005 American Sports Drama directed by DJ Caruso that has a recently injured football player Brandon Lang (Matthew McConaughey) enters the world of sports gambling under the wing of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino).
The movie also stars Rene Russo, Armand Assante, Carly Pope, Jeremy Piven, Jaime King, Ralph Garman, Veena Sood, Charles Carroll, and Ildiko Ferenczi.
It was released on October 7, 2005.
Tropes for the film:
- Gambling Ruins Lives: Brandon is a former star college football player who, after a Career-Ending Injury prevents him from playing professionally, becomes an expert sports handicapper. He is recruited by Abrams to advise gamblers how to bet on sports events, and at first he makes an enormous name for himself, but as his fortunes fall it wrecks the lives of many of his clients who developed a gambling addiction and came to depend on him (causing the lives of their families to tank too), as well as Abrams' business.
- I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine: Piven and Pacino previously worked together on Heat.
- Recovered Addict: Walter Abrams is a former Gambling Addict who kicked the habit after coming down with a heart condition, and appears to stay away from personally gambling even though he owns a business that advises people on how to bet on sports. Throughout the film it's shown, however, that he has done a form of Addiction Displacement: rather than wagering money on sports teams or dice or cards, he now gambles with his business and his personal relationships instead. This is shown during the film by him doing things like recruiting little known sports handicappers
, bringing them to New York where potentially millions of dollars are riding on their picks and seeing if they crack under the pressure, (with potentially catastrophic effects on his business), or if his attractive younger wife cheats with his latest, very handsome recruit... - Tagline: "How much will you risk?".
- Trade Your Passion for Glory: Brandon Lang is a former athlete who becomes a successful sports betting advisor due to his knowledge, meticulous research, and expert analysis. Once he reaches the top he becomes so enamored of his own legend that he stops doing the work that made him so good in the first place.
- Tropaholics Anonymous: Walter is a reformed gambling addict, but one who still runs a business advising sports gambling to people willing to bet millions of dollars on it. At one point he visits a Gambler's Anonymous support group, seemingly as part of staying off his gambling kick... only to make his protege gasp in horror as he begins tempting the guys there into gambling again and passes out his card.
