Mississippi Grind, 2015.
Written and Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.
Starring Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds and Sienna Miller.
SYNOPSIS:
Down on his luck and facing financial hardship, Gerry teams up with younger charismatic poker player, Curtis, in an attempt to change his luck. The two set off on a road trip through the South with visions of winning back what’s been lost.
Down on his luck and suspended only mere inches above rock-bottom, Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) confesses to Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), his road buddy and lucky charm for success, that he isn’t a good person, and while it is heartbreaking to watch someone come to that self-realization, it stings more because it isn’t necessarily true.
Gerry has a compulsion for gambling which tempts him to put his family through some seemingly unforgivable situations (his addiction got so bad that he removed himself from his daughter’s life, got divorced, and even goes as far as attempting to steal poker money from his wife during an attempt at reconciliation) but to say he is evil is pushing it. Vices hurt; they feel almost impossible to not give into. At the end of the day though, everyone deserves a second chance and shot at forgiveness.
Mississippi Grind understands this and chooses not to criticize or pass along judgment to Gerry, but rather showcase his extreme sadness and internal pain, which is something that Ben Mendelsohn superbly illustrates with subtle facial expressions. It’s clear that he is a broken man seeking redemption of some sort; a reason to finally put down his addiction for good.
He simply can’t however, as he owes money to various different people, or everyone as he puts it, alongside working through a slump at his real estate job. Gerry does quite a few reprehensible things throughout Mississippi Grind, but there is a sensation that deep down he feels that this is the only way to get his head above water and start anew, potentially integrating himself back into the life of his family. Despite his alienation to them, it’s evident that they are the most important thing in his world.
Much will be said about the performance of Ben Mendelsohn for making this tragically depressed character come alive, but Ryan Reynolds also turns in a career performance. He goes along for the ride with Gerry seemingly for the thrill of it all (he’s very laid-back, charismatic, friendly, and not really concerned about winning) but has his own personal demons as well. Without saying much, he has a prostitute friend played by Sienna Miller, and you get the feeling that they both just want to move on to greener pastures together.
Naturally, because this is a buddy road trip movie, there does come a point where the two leads go their separate ways, but it works thanks to feeling natural. As we see some of the immoral things Gerry does, we know it’s only a matter of time before Curtis finds out and reacts harshly in a way for the better good of his newfound friend, but that doesn’t make witnessing everything any less dramatic and absorbing. Yes, the movie is somewhat predictable and even ends on an expected note, but like Curtis consistently says throughout Mississippi Grind, it’s about the journey and not the destination.
Furthermore, attention has to be called to some really great moments as tension builds between their differences. Most notably is a scene where they exchange each other’s weaknesses in letting on their gambling tendencies, while applying it to a general personality. One such example is Gerry slumping into his seat not just when he has a bad hand, but feels a drop in confidence as a human being. It’s simply really smart writing and a great way to integrate the topicality of the movie into dialogue.
Mississippi Grind‘s only real fault is that it touches on too much familiar territory within the sub-genre of gambling addiction, although that can be overlooked considering the execution is spot-on with two outstanding performances that directly complement each other. Although Gerry is undoubtedly the more interesting of the duo, you never really get bored or tired of Curtis having the spotlight shined on him either. It’s a very cold film with likable protagonists that you just simply hope find happiness.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=qvTY7eXXIMg
Originally published September 26, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
