| Two for the Money | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | D. J. Caruso |
| Produced by | Jay Cohen Guy McElwaine |
| Written by | Dan Gilroy |
| Starring | Matthew McConaughey Al Pacino Rene Russo Armand Assante Carly Pope |
| Studio | Morgan Creek Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 7, 2005 |
| Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $35 million |
| Box office | $30,526,509[1] |
Two for the Money is a 2005 film directed by D. J. Caruso, starring Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Armand Assante, and Carly Pope. The film is about the world of sports gambling.
Contents |
Brandon Lang (McConaughey) is a former college football star who, after sustaining a career-ending injury, takes a job handicapping football games. His success at choosing winners catches the eye of Walter Abrams (Pacino), the slick head of one of the biggest sports consulting operations in the United States. Walter takes Brandon under his wing, and soon they are making tremendous amounts of money.
Lang's in-depth knowledge of the game, leagues and players brings in big winnings and bigger clients. Abrams' cable television show, The Sports Advisors, skyrockets in popularity when he adds Lang's slick "John Anthony" persona to the desk, infuriating Jerry Sykes (Jeremy Piven), who up to now has been Walter's in-house expert. Lang's total image is remade — new car, new wardrobe and a new look with the assistance of Walter's wife, Toni (Russo), a hair stylist.
Things suddenly go south, however, when Lang begins playing his hunches instead of doing his homework. He loses his touch and is even physically assaulted by the thugs of a gambler (Armand Assante) who lost a great deal of money following Lang's advice. The once-solid relationship between Lang and Abrams sours.
Lang's new high-rolling lifestyle depended entirely on his ability to predict the outcomes of the games. Millions are at stake by the time he places his last bet as Abrams grows more and more unstable, even suspicious that Brandon is having an affair with his wife.
The film concludes with Lang's predictions coming true for the last game, both of which he determined by flipping coins in a bathroom, as he leaves New York and takes up a job as coach of junior league football team.
Bodog sponsored the world premiere of Two for the Money in Beverly Hills, California on September 26, 2005. The film itself was released on October 8, 2005 to generally bad reviews and lackluster box office returns. It scored only 20% overall rating at Rotten Tomatoes (18% for "Cream of the Crop"). Two for the Money's North American receipts came to only $22,991,379 and $30,526,509 worldwide, against a production budget of $35 million.
|
|||||