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Molly's Game

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Molly's Game
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAaron Sorkin
Screenplay byAaron Sorkin
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyCharlotte Bruus Christensen
Edited by
Music byDaniel Pemberton
Production
companies
Distributed bySTXfilms
Release dates
  • September 8, 2017 (2017-09-08) (TIFF)
  • December 25, 2017 (2017-12-25) (United States)
Running time
140 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million[2]
Box office$14.2 million[3]

Molly's Game is a 2017 American crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the memoir Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Brian d'Arcy James, Chris O'Dowd, Bill Camp, Graham Greene, Claire Rankin, Joe Keery and Jeremy Strong. The film follows Bloom (Chastain), who becomes the target of an FBI investigation of the underground poker empire she runs for Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business tycoons and the Russian mob.

Principal photography began in November 2016 in Toronto, Canada. The film premiered on September 8, 2017 at the Toronto International Film Festival, and began a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 25, 2017, by STXfilms, before expanding wide on January 5, 2018. Molly's Game has received positive reviews, with praise for Sorkin's script and the performances of Elba and Chastain.[4] At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, it received two nominations, Best Screenplay and Best Actress – Drama for Chastain,[5] with Sorkin also earning a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Writers Guild of America Awards.[6]

Plot summary

The true story of Molly Bloom, a young woman who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game in Los Angeles and New York City, for nearly a decade, before being arrested by the FBI. Her players included Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business titans and the Russian mob. With the help of her lawyer, Molly must face federal charges.

Cast

Production

Development

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who made his directorial debut on the film

On November 12, 2014, Mark Gordon's The Mark Gordon Company bought the feature film adaptation rights to Molly Bloom's memoir, Molly's Game, which Gordon produced. Aaron Sorkin was hired to adapt the memoir into a screenplay.[9] Bloom had already approached Sorkin, as he was her "favourite writer".[10][11] On January 7, 2016, it was announced that Sorkin would make his directorial debut on the film, for Sony Pictures Entertainment, while Amy Pascal also produced.[12] On February 18, 2016, Sony exited the project,[13] and on May 13, 2016, STX Entertainment came on board, and subsequently bought the film's US and Chinese distribution rights for $9 million.[14]

Casting

On February 18, 2016, Sorkin offered Jessica Chastain the lead role in the film, but the negotiations between them had then not yet begun.[15] On May 6, 2016, Idris Elba joined the film to star alongside Chastain. Sorkin stated that "the casting of Jessica and Idris in the two lead roles is any filmmaker's dream come true, they're two of the greatest actors of their generation, paired for the first time, and their chemistry will be electric."[16] On September 7, 2016, Michael Cera joined the cast as Player X, a celebrity poker player.[17] On October 17, 2016, Kevin Costner joined as Molly Bloom's father,[18] and on October 21, 2016, Brian d'Arcy James was added.[19] On November 9, 2016, Chris O'Dowd, Jeremy Strong, Bill Camp, and Graham Greene joined the cast as well.[20]

Filming

Principal photography began on November 9, 2016, in Toronto.[21] Production concluded on February 9, 2017.[22]

Release

Molly's Game premiered on September 8, 2017, at the Toronto International Film Festival.[1] It was also the closing film at AFI Fest on November 16, 2017, replacing All the Money in the World.[23]

It began a limited release in North America on December 25, 2017, before expanding wide on January 5, 2018.[24] The film was previously slated to be released on November 22, 2017, before being moved to the Christmas date in October 2017.[25]

Box office

On Christmas Day, the film debuted with $1.04 million from 271 theaters.[26] In its first full weekend, the film grossed $2.3 million, finishing 13th at the box office.[27] In the United States and Canada, the film expanded wide on January 5, alongside the opening of Insidious: The Last Key, and was projected to gross around $6 million from 1,608 theaters in its opening weekend.[2] It ended up debuting to $7 million, finishing 7th at the box office.[28]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 82%, based on 182 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Powered by an intriguing story and a pair of outstanding performances from Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba, Molly's Game marks a solid debut for writer-director Aaron Sorkin."[29] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 71 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.[26]

Peter Debruge of Variety praised Sorkin's script, saying, "... Molly’s Game delivers one of the screen's great female parts — a dense, dynamic, compulsively entertaining affair, whose central role makes stunning use of Chastain's stratospheric talent."[31] Mike Ryan of Uproxx gave the film 9/10, writing, "Molly's Game is a perfect story for Sorkin. There's poker, the Russian mafia, the Italian mafia, celebrities, and sports. The only thing missing for Sorkin's wheelhouse is President Bartlet. And at over two hours long, the film still feels tight and never fails to entertain."[32]

Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, saying, "Molly's Game bristles with fun zingers, electric energy and Sorkin's brand of verbal fireworks – all of which help enormously when the movie falters in fleshing out its characters. Still, in his first film with a female protagonist, the writer-director has hit on a timely theme: the tribulations of being a woman in a man's world."[33]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
Alliance of Women Film Journalists January 9, 2018 Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Pending [34]
American Cinema Editors January 26, 2018 Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic Alan Baumgarten, Elliot Graham and Josh Schaeffer Pending [35]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards January 11, 2018 Best Actress Jessica Chastain Pending [36]
Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Pending
Denver International Film Festival November 13, 2017 Career Achievement Award Aaron Sorkin Won [37]
Detroit Film Critics Society December 7, 2017 Best Actress Jessica Chastain Nominated [38]
Golden Globe Awards January 7, 2018 Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Jessica Chastain Pending [39]
Best Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Pending
Mill Valley Film Festival October 17, 2017 Audience Favorite U.S. Cinema – Gold Award Molly's Game Won [40]
Palm Springs International Film Festival January 2, 2018 Chairman's Award Jessica Chastain Won [41]
Producers Guild of America Awards January 20, 2018 Best Theatrical Motion Picture Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal and Matt Jackson Pending [42]
San Francisco Film Critics Circle December 10, 2017 Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Nominated [43]
Satellite Awards February 10, 2018 Best Actress Jessica Chastain Pending [44]
Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Pending
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 8, 2017 Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Nominated [45]
Writers Guild of America Awards February 11, 2018 Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin Pending [6]
Zurich Film Festival October 4, 2017 Career Achievement Award Aaron Sorkin Won [46]

References

  1. ^ a b "Molly's Game". TIFF. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  2. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 3, 2018). "'Insidious: The Last Key' To Scare Up Biz In Strong Holiday Holdover Period – Box Office Preview". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Molly's Game (2017)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  4. ^ "Insidious: The Last Key Unlocks Few Scares". Rotten Tomatoes. January 4, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  5. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (December 11, 2017). "Golden Globe Nominations: Complete List". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  6. ^ a b McNary, Dave (January 4, 2018). "Writers Guild Awards: 'Get Out,' 'Call Me by Your Name,' 'Lady Bird' Nab Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  7. ^ Lewi, Hilary (December 25, 2017). "'Molly's Game' Team Talks Making Timely Tale of Female Empowerment". Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  8. ^ Magaziner Steinfield, Jordan (May 25, 2017). "Jon Bass: From Bellaire to 'Baywatch'". TheBuzzMagazines.com. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  9. ^ Fleming Jr, Mike (November 12, 2014). "Mark Gordon & Aaron Sorkin Team On Molly Bloom High-Stakes Poker Memoir". Deadline. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  10. ^ "'Poker princess' Molly Bloom on her stranger-than-fiction life". BBC. December 10, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  11. ^ Ransome, Noel (December 27, 2017). "The true story behind "Molly's Game" is wild". Vice. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  12. ^ Kit, Borys (January 7, 2016). "Aaron Sorkin to Make Directorial Debut With Underground Poker Drama 'Molly's Game'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  13. ^ Sneider, Jeff (May 6, 2016). "Sony Drops Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game,' Film to Be Shopped at Cannes". TheWrap. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  14. ^ Donnelly, Matt (May 13, 2016). "STX Circles Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game' Rights for $9 Million". TheWrap. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  15. ^ Sneider, Jeff (February 18, 2016). "Jessica Chastain Offered Lead in Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game'". TheWrap. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  16. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 6, 2016). "Idris Elba in Talks to Join Jessica Chastain in Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  17. ^ Robinson, Will (September 7, 2016). "Michael Cera in talks for Aaron Sorkin's poker biopic Molly's Game". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  18. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 17, 2016). "Kevin Costner Eyes Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game' With Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  19. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (October 21, 2016). "'Molly's Game' Adds Brian d'Arcy James; Andrew J. West Cast In 'Antiquities'". Deadline. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  20. ^ Sneider, Jeff (November 9, 2016). "Chris O'Dowd joins Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba in Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game'". Mashable.
  21. ^ "PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON AARON SORKIN'S MOLLY'S GAME STARRING JESSICA CHASTAIN AND IDRIS ELBA". Entertainment One. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  22. ^ "Molly's Game" (PDF). Directors Guild of America. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  23. ^ Evans, Greg (November 12, 2017). "Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game' Replaces Kevin Spacey Film At AFI Fest". Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  24. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 6, 2017). "'Molly's Game' To Open Christmas Day Instead Of Thanksgiving Stretch". Deadline. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  25. ^ Knapp, JD (July 1, 2017). "STX Sets Dates for 'Molly's Game,' 'Happytime Murders' With Melissa McCarthy". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Anthony D'Alessandro (December 26, 2017). "'Last Jedi' Now At $99M, 'Jumanji' Huge At $72M+; 'All The Money In The World' Opens To $2.6M – Christmas Weekend". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  27. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (December 31, 2017). "'Last Jedi' & 'Jumanji' Duel For No. 1 Over New Year's Weekend As 2017 Box Office Closes With $11.1B – Sunday Update". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  28. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (January 7, 2018). "'Jumanji' Goes Wild With $36M; 'Insidious' Rises To $29M+ – Sunday AM B.O. Update". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  29. ^ "Molly's Game (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  30. ^ "Molly's Game reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  31. ^ Debruge, Peter (September 8, 2017). "Toronto Film Review: 'Molly's Game'". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  32. ^ Ryan, Mike (September 8, 2017). "TIFF Review: Jessica Chastain Absolutely Owns Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game'". Uproxx. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  33. ^ Travers, Peter (December 23, 2017). "'Molly's Game' Review: Jessica Chastain Turns Poker Biopic Into Royal Flush". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  34. ^ "2017 AWFJ EDA Award Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. January 3, 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 3, 2018). "'Dunkirk,' 'Shape of Water,' 'Baby Driver' Among ACE Eddie Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 3, 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ "2018 Critics' Choice Awards: 'The Shape of Water' Leads With 14 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  37. ^ "DFF40: 40th Denver Film Festival Announces Award Winners". Awards Circuit. November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  38. ^ "Detroit Film Critics Society announce 2017 film nominations". Film Obsession. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  39. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (December 11, 2017). "Golden Globe Nominations: Complete List". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  40. ^ "Mill Valley Film Festival Names Mudbound and Molly's Game among its Audience Favorites". awardsdaily. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  41. ^ "Jessica Chastain Honored by Palm Springs Film Festival for 'Molly's Game'". Variety. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  42. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 5, 2018). "PGA Awards Film & TV Nominations Unveiled". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  43. ^ "2017 SAN FRANCISCO FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS". San Francisco Film Critics Circle. December 10, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  44. ^ Pond, Steve (November 29, 2017). "'Dunkirk,' 'The Shape of Water' Lead Satellite Award Nominations". The Wrap. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  45. ^ "The 2017 WAFCA Awards". Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  46. ^ "AARON SORKIN TO RECEIVE ZFF CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD / MOLLY'S GAME AS GALA PREMIERE". Zurich Film Festival. September 8, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
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