On paper, a match between Molly Bloom and Aaron Sorkin and is perfect. They’re both slick operators who hail from the bottom of over achieving families, they are both seeming meticulous and simultaneously prone to getting suddenly sloppy, and they both seemingly suffer soundly from inferiority complexes. Of course it’s nothing new to report that Molly’s Game is yet another sleek and stylish study of motor-mouthed show offs who walk and talk their way out of hot water like they’re an over-confident olympic trial favourite. We already know that one of them is, going from history.

And we’re reminded of it to open the film, in a swiftly edited flashback that provides the set up… sort of. The movie brings you up to speed on who Molly is, an Olympic Qualifying Skier [Freestyle], and what’s at stake for her just as it catches you up on the editing/ directorial template you’re about to tolerate. But it’s a ruse. Freestyle skiing has almost nothing to do with the story Molly Bloom is going to tell. It’s just a cool way the writer/director Aaron Sorkin wanted to amuse you. It mostly works.

Did you know that Molly’s Game is 140 minutes long? That’s 23 minutes less than that belated Blade Runner sequel a few months ago you probably didn’t see and about 20 minutes more than that belated Jumanji sequel you probably did. I didn’t know how long the movie was until I got home and tweeted about it which prompted the official film page to provide positive feedback. Yes the film flies by if you haven’t noticed it by now. I liked it.

@Mollys_Game was 140 minutes long? I sat through it and it certainly didn't feel long at all. Sorkin kept the pace so quick while @jes_chastain owned the role and I was always pleased to see @idriselba. I didn't think of it. — FilmGamer (@Serious_George) January 10, 2018

No. It’s not as good as the three-time Oscar-winning The Social Network, nor is it as inept as that victim blaming episode of The Newsroom that would’ve benefitted the general public a lot more had it aired in a post #MeToo environment. No this movie is pleasant, it is peachy keen, it is on the ball tolerable. Perhaps next time Sorkin can sway for a stronger more reliable father figure character that can less overtly psycho analyze and undermine the strength of its main character.

I found Jessica Chastain in Molly’s Game, similar to how I found Leonardo DiCaprio in Wolf of Wall Street: about 14 years too young to play the true-to life role of a financially fraudulent white-collar criminal, BUT WHO CARES BECAUSE THEY’RE AS FUCKING HOT AS THEIR TALENT IS OVERDUE FOR AN OSCAR! [#ZD304EVA] Ms. Chastain maintains a different set of sexy looks than the OG Molly exchanging naive vulnerabilities for complex authority. Additionally armed with a more confident and reliable storytelling technique than Belfort used to tell his story, I found it so hard to believe the character could be so conveniently lackadaisical, in order to find the audience’s sympathy. Ah yes, there’s that Sorkin-sloppiness again.

Well I wasn’t as wonderfully won over by Molly’s well-presented charms as every single male in that movie, but I cannot say I was treated unfairly, and American- accented Idris Elba kept me company. The trade-offs are a decent deal that I can probably find some unearned bragging rights over. Maybe if I’m lucky or skillful enough someone more slick than me will promote this piece. I’d for sure call them a real dynamo.

Rating: 73/100