There are some addictions people take seriously, and some they don’t. A friend coming clean about his “addiction” to Chapstick isn’t the same as another admitting he’s having problems with liquor.
But addictions are serious, no matter how seemingly harmless they are. While no one would say a gambling addiction is harmless, it isn’t treated by most with the same care that drug and alcohol addicts receive.
Mississippi Grind, written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, takes on gambling addiction by following “Gerry,” a gambling addict who owes money all over town. Played by underrated Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn, “Gerry” strikes up a friendship with “Curtis,” a friendly yet mysterious traveling gambler performed excellently by Ryan Reynolds. Hoping to pay off his debts, “Gerry” convinces “Curtis” to take a road trip down the Mississippi River to stop at the best casinos in the region. Things get interesting on the journey, with our heroes’ luck capable of changing in an instant.
Boden and Fleck did a wonderful job capturing the everyday moments of seemingly ordinary people. There are no car chases or big fight scenes, instead the movie is filled with subtlety.
They get their message across without being too obvious or preachy. For example, instead of having someone mention a detail important to the plot, they allow the camera to remain on an important image for a second longer than normal. This method helps give the audience details they aren’t aware they’re getting.
Reynolds gives a refreshing performance after going a few years without any memorable roles. Fingers crossed, Mississippi Grind and the Deadpool film will hopefully put a charge back in his career.
While Mendelsohn’s name isn’t as well known, he continues his fantastic work. With his best performances coming in lower budget films, most people aren’t aware of the talent they’re missing out on.
The movie as a whole is enjoyable and well-made, but not incredibly memorable.
Since it takes on its subject fairly, without a strong message for being either for or against gambling, it doesn’t make all that strong of an impression. It lets you observe the highs and lows of the addiction, but, in the end, the film itself does not stand out in any special way.
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