Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- tense
- sardonic
- late night viewing
- crime movie night
What critics said
Critics found the film well-paced and slickly entertaining, with strong performances—especially Jessica Lange’s—but judged it an uneven remake burdened by an unclear protagonist and comparisons to the 1974 original.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jim repeatedly wagers his money, safety, and future while pursuing a second chance.
Jim’s dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother Roberta is central to his alienation and self-image.
Frank, the loan shark, shows paternal interest in Jim while holding him accountable for his gambling debt.
Jim works as an English professor while borrowing from gangsters and entering an underground gambling world.
Films like The Gambler, and why
The Gambler
Shared crime drama framework, compulsive gambling, self-destructive protagonist, and tense underworld stakes.
Rounders
Shared gambling-centered crime narrative, morally compromised lead, and pressure from dangerous lenders.
Uncut Gems
Shared obsessive risk-taking, escalating financial danger, and a slick contemporary crime-thriller tone.
Owning Mahowny
Shared fatalistic crime drama, loan-shark pressure, and a protagonist pursuing self-destruction despite opportunities to change.
Movie Details
- Director
- Rupert Wyatt
- Release Date
- 2014-12-25
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (1613)
Cast
- Mark Wahlberg
- John Goodman
- Brie Larson
- Michael Kenneth Williams
- George Kennedy
- Jessica Lange
- Richard Schiff
- Andre Braugher
- Emory Cohen
- Domenick Lombardozzi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Essential, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Gambler about?
- A self-destructive English professor gambles his life against loan sharks, family resentment, and his own appetite for ruin.
- What is The Gambler like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Gambler as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Gambler violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Gambler as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Gambler?
- Critics found the film well-paced and slickly entertaining, with strong performances—especially Jessica Lange’s—but judged it an uneven remake burdened by an unclear protagonist and comparisons to the 1974 original.
- Which films are like The Gambler?
- Films with a similar feel include The Gambler, Rounders, Uncut Gems, and Owning Mahowny.
- How long is The Gambler?
- The Gambler runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Gambler?
- In United States, The Gambler streams on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Essential, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
