The best kinds of movies show adversity in the face of failure. That putting in hard work is the best way to get success and the easy way out is never the answer. Writer Dan Gilroy decided to go in the complete opposite direction with this movie.

Two For The Money is about a man named Brandon, played by Matthew McConaughey, who makes money advising people on sports betting. After growing success, Brandon is approached by Walter, played by Al Pacino, who operates one of the biggest sports advising firms in the world.

Quickly Brandon is taken under Walter’s wing and experiences the high life of being a celebrity and making more money than he knows what to do with. Brandon’s ego soars to new heights and eventually starts making picks at random and asking his employees “So who do you like this weekend” to simply prove that whatever he writes down will happen.

Then, something very odd happens, Brandon starts losing. And losing. And losing. Until Brandon reputation is in jeopardy and Walter’s company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Brandon decides to go back to the old him. The guy who would study up on games, call coaches and medical staff to get some inside info, and spending every waking hour on his job. But keeps losing worse than ever. Clients call Brandon after losing all their money, desperate for advice or just to tell him off.

With a massive upcoming football game, Brandon does the unthinkable, he flips a coin. After telling Walter of this, Walter doubles down and “guarantees” victory. Which means, “you tell us how much you’re betting. You lose. We cover. That’s risk-free sports betting,” a move that would surely lead to Walter’s demise.

Brandon desperately tries to get Walter to reverse this, but Walter refuses. I don’t know if at this point Walter even believes in Brandon or just loves the drama. The movie’s climax is simply Brandon leaving. He writes a goodbye note to Walter, heads to the airport where he watches the end of the game and leaves. Somehow Brandon’s coin flip was correct, Walter’s company is saved and that’s it.

So, we had a movie whose message is “if the going gets tough, run”. Imagine if Brandon was wrong. He would be running out on Walter, who is now finished. Having to pay back millions he doesn’t have to sports betters. This gamble could’ve easily gone South. And what about all the people who Brandon got into debt? Not a good message. Not a good movie.

3/10

Simptastic Joe