Runner Runner

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A kid is getting other kids to play poker online. The head of the university doesn't like it and threaten to throw him out. The kid (Justin Timberlake) takes all his money and play some poker, hoping that he will win and his future secure. Well, you guessed it, he loses everything. But, not because he is bad or anything, no, there is this guy called Ivan (Ben Affleck) who runs these online casinos, and who cheats the poor young kids. Now there is only one sensible thing to do, which is to go to Costa Rica and confront the bad guy with his scheme. Thats exactly what I would do. Well, nah, not really, but I hope you see where I am going with this. He arrives in Costa Rica, and soon finds himself at the deep end of the pool, hunted by Ivan, some dude named Herrera and the FBI... of course. The plot is idiotic, as you might have guessed. It makes no sense, and the poor actors don't know how to act. And honestly, I don't blame them, they don't understand the manuscript either. I looked for a little light in the darkness, and I think I found it... the photography. There are some beautiful images in this movie, worthy of a James Bond movie, and you know what, the plot matches the Bond movies of late pretty well too. Yeah, I am not a big Bond fan either. _Last words... it's not worth it. Ben Affleck is an overrated actor, not worth your time. Mr. Timberlake should just have stopped after The Social Network, and he would have stopped on top. This movie... don't waste your time on it. If you like poker and want to see a nice poker movie, watch Rounders instead, or even 21._

Hmmm. So here's poor old "Richie" (Justin Timberlake) trying to fund his way through Princeton by working gaming and poker sites and taking also taking some commission when his fellow students screw it up. Unexpectedly he finds himself being played and that means a trip to Costa Rica to try and engineer a meeting with the legendary "Ivan" (Ben Affleck). Here, he tries an honest approach with the man, and that - miraculously - results in him finding himself with a prime job with the organisation that could easily lead to riches and the girl "Rebecca" (Gemma Arterton). He's not been in the job long, though, before he's approached by no-nonsense FBI man "Shavers" (Anthony Mackie) and told that his boss is a crook and that he is now to turn snitch. Dangerous times now loom for this character who quickly seems to develop some pretty impressive skills to think on his feet - if not to fight! Everyone in this film looks great. It's got fisticuffs, bling, fast cars, boats, planes etc. but what it doesn't have is much of a story. The basic idea is pretty thin and the writing does little to inject much life - or soul - into the lacklustre characterisations. Mercifully, it's only ninety minutes long and it does feature some crocodiles - but sadly they don't have enough screen time, nor enough to do before the slightly quirky conclusion! A standard television film that will kill some time whilst you're ironing - that's about the height of it.