1993 Movie
Dir. Philip Haas · United States of America · English
An inscrutable character study about luck and life with great performances
The Music of Chance is about a poker game with unusual consequences. It seemed at first, just like a straightforward cautionary tale about gambling, and to a certain extent, it is. But the circumstances that the protagonists find themselves in– the Ship of Theseus in the form of a brick wall and the Sisyphean nature of their debt– makes the film more existential and absurdist than a cautionary tale usually is. Mandy Patinkin and James Spader bounce off of each other with great characterization, and the difference in their characters’ approaches is captivating to watch, easily recalling the way we approach our own lives.
Two men face the consequences of gambling after playing with men beyond their league.
After picking up injured hitchhiker Jack Pozzi, former fireman Jim Nashe gets pulled into a high stakes poker game that leads both of them to become indentured servants of their two eccentric rich opponents.
The film is a bit cryptic in its themes, being very open to interpretation.
Yeah… I did not need this existential crisis, but thank you.
Cannes
1 nom
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
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