THE QUIET GAME //A FILM REVIEW OF "THE CARD COUNTER"

BY MATEO MORENO

William Tell (Oscar Isaac) is a card player. He plays poker, blackjack and moves from Casino to Casino, never winning too much to ruffle too many feathers. He doesn't call himself a gambler because he has control. He can always say "no." He can read his opponents and he has an unbelievable gift of counting cards, a talent he learned in prison. He moves alone, without any real friends or attachments. He stays in cheap motels, covering all of the furniture, everything, methodically in white cloths that he brings with him. William has a dark past, one that haunts him each and every day. He was a soldier who tortured prisoners at Abu Ghraib and one day, he finds himself at a casino where Major John Gordo (Willem Dafoe), now a civilian contractor, is giving a seminar about security. He sits in the dark, watching the man who was in charge of the horrors he faced every day and before he leaves, a young man stops him and hands him his number. He recognizes William and wants to sit down and talk. The young man is Cirk (Tye Sheridan) and he tells William of a horrific plan he has. He wants William to be part of it. Instead, William takes Cirk under his wing, bringing him on the casino circuit and showing him his own world. Perhaps he can save himself if he saves the young man.

THE CARD COUNTER, written and directed by Taxi Driver screenwriter Paul Schrader, is an tense and thrilling film that switches from William's repeated patterns of living to the horrific flashback of his past. He wants to win enough to pay off the debts that loom over Cirk, so in order to do that he accepts the offer of La Linda (Tiffany Haddish), a business woman who connects anonymous backers to sharp poker players. The three of them become a dynamic trio of sorts, and Schrader expertly captures both the thrill and monotony of the gambling life. Isaacs is dynamic here, powerfully quiet with a simmering intensity. It's a powerful leading role, one that you both cheer for and fear. Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan both have great chemistry with Issac and both turn in fine performances. The relationship with William and La Linda is sweet and tender, adding a charged layer into the film. Willem Dafoe is a menacing presence, even when he's not on screen. The connection of Gordo, William and Cirk simmers underneath every scene, and the menace of where it's headed fill each moment with a thrilling sense of dread. The film takes its time, never rushing the fine details and slowing stacking the dread surrounding everyone. It's a fascinating film, one that lingers long after the casino has closed.

GRADE: A

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Paul Schrader STARRING Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe, Alexander Babara. OPENING IN SELECT THEATRES SEPTEMBER 10th. FOR MORE INFO: THE CARD COUNTER