MYST Post #1: Two For the Money

Two For the Money
New ground is explored in this movie, Two For the Money, uncovering a new type of sports betting world. In this drama, a new way of sports betting is explored. John Anthony (Mathew McConaughey) is a betting advisor. He works for a company that strictly gives advice to betters putting anywhere from thousands to millions on games. John Anthony starts off as a new raw advisor who quickly earns the respect of his boss Walter (Al Pacino) and Walter's wife Toni (Rene Russo). Anthony has made many clients go from average men, to rich in month's, but his luck does not last. Anthony soon gets big-headed and begins to take a downhill slide.Walter has soon built his company around Anthony and the heat begins to be turned up. Other twists are thrown in as well, like Walter believing Toni and John Anthony are having an affair. Anthony has gotten his clients into trouble and has even lost a clients entire fortune. Anthony soon begins to consider walking away, but he allows himself to advise for one more game, the superbowl. After picking the winner he walks away and goes back home to San Francisco, while Walter finds out the affair never happened. Overall, I would give this movie 3 stars out of 4.
This movie was appealing because of the new territory that it discovered in sports betting. The downfall of Anthony can be confusing however, as it happens quickly and not much is really explained. Al Pacino play Walter extremely well and gives the viewer as sense of importance of himself in the world. The film also does a good job of tricking the viewer into believing that Toni and Anthony are having an affair, but in the end it is explained well how they have tricked you.

Throughout this film, the camera work varies. The director has done a good job of mixing in various techniques to emphasize different things. For example, when Anthony and Walter are sitting in an office talking, there is a side view of the scene so the viewer can see the facial expressions and actions of both people. However, when Anthony is shown working out alone, the view is through a hallway into the workout room with a dark ominous tone, because he has been going through a rough patch. When Toni, Walter, and Anthony are sitting and having dinner together, the camera is placed so that it seems like you are the fourth person at the table, with the camera switching from person to person as they add to the conversation. Overall, the camera work helps the viewer get the sense of what they are supposed to feel from scene to scene.

One particular scene in this film was interesting to me because of the trick pulled on the viewer. In this scene Anthony and Walter are traveling to see a new big client and are in the airport. Walter has a sickness throughout the film where he occasionally has a chest ache and needs to take his medicine right away. In the airport he collapses and it is made to seem as if Walter is about to die. Anthony is flustered and helps Walter take is medicine. Walter whispers in his ear to tell him he is just joking and wanted to make sure he is there for him. It seems to be a sick joke, but it reveals really who both Walter and Anthony really are. This scene keeps the viewer on their toes because the scene starts off relaxed.

Overall, this film was very interesting to me and by far my favorite movie that I have seen from Mathew McConaughey. All actors play their part wel, and the director does a good job of adding the twists in at moments where the movie may be boring otherwise. The people who would like this would be mostly men, from ages 16-45 because it is more of a grown up topic.


Link to Trailer