Lay the Favorite (2012)

Undescribable Perfection

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Absolutely Fantastic

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Lay the Favorite stars Rebecca Hall as an ex-stripper and Bruce Willis as an ageing Las Vegas bookie. But nothing comes good in the script. It is as flat and the writing is noticeable. We can now see why the film was not shown wide in America. The affection between Beth and Dink feels a lot more genuine, with Willis delivering a finely tuned performance. Hall bounces off him with comically goggle-eyed expressions but she comes across more clumsy than needed. This film is listed as a comedy and drama but it really is neither funny, nor it is as dramatic as one should be for a sports betting film. It is also utterly predictable, specifically its ending.

(11%) A limp waste of both man's and the world's resources who's cinematic release came and quickly vanished away before the glue that stuck the lame and cheap looking advertising posters had even properly dried. This is one of those films that starts OK with hope of things yet to come, but any hope here is badly misplaced. Rebecca Hall plays a ditzy, quite annoying stripper who becomes a Las Vegas high rolling pro gambler within the blink of an eye utilising her Rain man style abilities that are mentioned once and never spoken of ever again. It really is amazing how easy it is to get a well paying job in this movie, so much so that in this universe there's no such thing as poverty and everyone retires at 22. Bruce Willis plays the boss of a group of gambling speculators, and even he managers to annoy with his character who doesn't seem to accept that betting on anything is massively risky and requires nothing more than blind luck to succeed. While Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson are hardly featured and play mostly pointless roles anyway. Overall this managers to be both mundane, dry, and strait-laced, yet still a bit of a mess.

Why You Might Like It: There are plenty of notable faces (Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vince Vaughn, Joshua Jackson) in the movie that might attract some viewers to give it a shot. The truth is Rebecca Hall does a real nice job in the lead role playing a naive and ditzy stripper turned bookie, while the supporting cast are just okay for the most part. It is based on a true story, so the plot is decent enough to keep most viewers entertained. An okay watch for a slow afternoon or evening.Why You Might Not Like It: Again, the acting for the most part is average and not anything special although the cast would suggest otherwise. The movie is noticeably low budget in a number of spots, which might be a bit of turn off for some. Unfortunately, this movie is likely confusing for those who don't gamble and a joke for those who are more familiar with gambling. With some better research into the gambling side of things and a bigger budget, this could have been a little bit better film.Acting/Casting: 6* Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 5*Plot/Characters: 5* Entertainment Value: 6* Total - 6+5+5+6 = 22/4 = 5.5*

If you'd like to view a brief and startling master class in brilliant acting, watch Rebecca Hall in this and then go and see her in "The Appearance". It takes a while, at least it took me, a while to realize that this is truly the same remarkable actress lurking somewhere underneath two such very disparate characters. RH is apparently one of this current generation of Brits who find it incredibly easy to portray utterly convincing Americans. Witness the cast of True Blood, Walking Dead, and Vikings, fer yer good examples. I wonder what will become of her career... She is certainly in demand enough, from Woody Allen to Iron Man, but the roles are not true kick ass starmakers. Her danger is that she may remain appreciated but not adored, she is certainly not yet a household name although she is talented enough to be. Like a Meryl Streep waiting for the career making door opener of Sophies Choice she stands the danger of becoming successful without stardom, and parking her car forever in the second rows of small lots where the dreadful appellation of "beloved character actor" denies all any further expansion or exit. We will see what opportunities to supernova come her way. This film is a game, friendly and likable, supposedly true fable of modern Vegas, based on the central character's book, although true is always a flexible description in these matters. I don't recall any smoking or drinking or sex in the movie and although that is a pleasant omission to witness, this is supposed to be real life Nevada after all. Willis and Zeta-Jones make credible appearances as flawed but still admirable human beings, and the guy from Fringe shows up as a smiling and insignificant yet desirable male. Its nice to see big stars in small films, and I would love to know the inside story of how they were all somehow wooed into this one. Probably Willis first, then the rest followed. Its Hall who gives the movie any weight and memorability however, I have watched it twice now just to see her upside down close up face as she stands on her head for the affable psychopath who wants to time her, and the so great way she says "lay" on the phone when BW teaches her how to call in a bet. See? Now you have to see it too, donchya? Donchya now huh?