Synopsis

Sports gambling phenom Brandon Lang, is a self-assured, but washed-up, former college football player who is on the cusp of exploiting his true talents: his ability to consistently pick football winners. Walter hires the small town ex-athlete and grooms him into a shrewd front man. Brandon soon begins to enjoy his status as a the golden boy, finding himself growing comfortable with Walter's high-rolling lifestyle, until his golden touch begins to falter at the same time that Walter's manipulation of his protégé crosses the line. With millions of dollars on the line, Brandon and Walter engage in a deadly game of con versus con, each one trying to maintain the upper hand while everyone in their world, including Walter's wife Toni, are drawn into the escalating duel.

What The Critics Say

"D J Caruso directed a screenplay by Dan Gilroy which is supposedly based on a true story and he's given it a sort of frantic energy that suits the high-rolling world of big betting. Two For the Money is an entertaining life lesson. THREE & HALF STARS" Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "A better-than-expected parable -- inspired by actual events -- about the power and reach of corruption." Mack Bates MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "Gambling and sport are the main ingredients in Two For The Money, a wildly spinning thriller that pushes its stakes beyond the limit. Although some of the ideas make us gasp at their audaciousness, overall the film is not the winner we might expect, despite strong central performances." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "You can see Al Pacino doing something he's done a lot lately: Having a terrific time being an actor." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "Pacino is a one-man three-ring circus, blustering, capering, cursing, raging and weaseling his way through this predictable morality play like a trickster Satan on speed." Maitland McDonagh TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE

"Pacino is a fantastic actor, isn't he? Even though this is, I don't think, a particularly interesting role, he gives it all it's worth and more. So you just sit there and you watch him and you think, 'Wow, I just wish this guy was getting better parts'. THREE STARS" David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "Like the insurance policies they are, McConaughey, Pacino, and Russo save Two for the Money from swallowing itself in cliché and misplaced passion." Brian Orndorf FILMJERK.COM "Big, loud, glossy and entertaining." G Allen Johnson SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "If you're looking for a movie for a boys' night out, it's a winner." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "Glossy, slick and with two of our most sought after leading men, this is the ultimate star vehicle – especially for Rene Russo, who happens to be married to the screenwriter Dan Gilroy." Jaimie Leonarder SBS THE MOVIE SHOW

The Inside Story "Welcome to the voracious, cutthroat world of high-roller gambling. Fortunes are won on Sunday and lost on Monday in "Two For the Money", a high-stakes drama set in the adrenalized world of wheeler-dealer gamblers, where riches are made and destroyed with the flip of a coin." Central to the story are three characters; Walter Abrams, Brandon Lang and Toni Morrow. Forget the fact that this is a sports orientated film because the focus for "Two For The Money" is three rich characters, their ambitions, their weaknesses and the events which will ultimately bring them crashing down. What makes this story even more fascinating that it is based on the true story of Brandon Lang. Screenwriter Dan Gilroy met Lang six years ago when the young man was working as a golf caddie. "Listen, do you want to hear a story for a movie?," Lang asked Gilroy. "His story hooked me", Gilroy says. He also says Lang's life changed when asked to stand-in for a co-worker tipping football results "He discovered he had a true facility for picking games." In real life Lang was UNLV basketball with an injured knee who took a job working for a company selling products over the phone. "The basis of this film’s story loosely follows what happened to that guy," Gilroy says. "But the game was changed to football; the story was expanded, deepened and embellished. It was the sports services, the sports advisors, a glimpse into this legitimate subculture on the fringe of this extremely large illegal enterprise that interested me. It’s a movie about the people who ‘feed off’ guys who bet, the men who make the $200 billion world of gambling spin ’round." Gilroy's script had a big effect on director D.J. Caruso who recalls it "just spoke to me. I was looking for a drama, and this dealt with the familiar themes of innocence being corrupted—what happens once that innocence is corrupted and how that person gets back to where he began. I was intrigued by Brandon’s journey and bringing the audience into the world of sports gambling. We hear about it, but I’ve never seen a movie about it." Caruso, a lover of sports and an occasional dabbler in gambling reveals, "Sports advisors are almost like psychologists. First, they have to figure out what your needs are. Then they have to get your money. But at the same time, they treat each client in a different way. If somebody needs to be abused in order to come around, the advisor will abuse. If someone needs to be lifted up and comforted, they are comforting. The film deals with this underbelly of that world." But why turn to a sports betting adviser? "When you're a gambler and you start having losing weekends, you start to question your own process," Gilroy notes. " And that is when you move to another level and seek outside help in picking winners. If these sport advisors give you winning picks, then you’re going to stick with them. If you’ve lost on their picks, you’re suddenly in a twilight zone of hurt where you don’t know what to do. Instinct guides the bettor back to the advisor in hopes that they will get them out of the hole they just got in." Matthew McConaughey who plays Lang in the film first saw the script four years ago. "I was looking for a good dramatic story and a salesman role, and this was a perfect fit, he says. "Being a former ballplayer, he too enjoyed making his own picks on weekend games." McConaughey sees Brandon as a winner. "The sport means everything to Brandon and because I’m an athlete myself I, like Brandon, love the sport. It’s about the purity of the game, not the money." When Walter Abrams 'discovers' Lang the young mans life changes dramatically. It's "Goodbye Brandon Lang, hello John Anthony "The Million Dollar Man with The Billion Dollar Plan" who never lets clients forget, "All your money stays and plays with me." In theory that sounds good, until you hit the inevitable losing streak. "So here’s the guy who’s the pure athlete, the best picker in the game, and the face jock selling on TV," says McConaughey, "the golden boy who, after awhile, has trouble winning. When he starts losing, he tries to figure out how to win again. That’s where everything gets really tough for him." When it came to signing on for the project, "McConaughey, Russo and Assante all agree on one huge motivating factor: Pacino." "He raised the bar," says McConaughey. "He is one of the greatest actors of our time, an astonishing person to work with and an incredibly generous actor," says Assante. "You know my husband wrote me such a great part, and I had a chance to do it with Al," says former Ford Agency model Rene Russo. "There is this one scene that is so amazing, and let me just say if I never worked another day in this business, it's cool. I got to do it, and it was great!" Director D.J. Caruso says that when it came to "Two For The Money", Pacino "is the template. He’s the nucleus of this acting group, his character is the center for everyone else to grab onto. Because Al is so willing to try things and not afraid to fail, that actually made Matthew and Rene much more free to do the same. When you play with someone more experienced than you in a particular sport, they say you rise to that level. I think Matthew has risen to that level. He surpassed my expectation of what he could do. I have never worked with someone who is as well prepared as Matthew." He is also full of praise for Rene Russo. He describes her "as the consummate pro, incredibly generous and giving. You know when you are shooting a heavy drama like this, it is important to have a releases. There was a lot of laughter on the set between the actors and the crew. There was a really good vibe every day." So what was it that attracted the great man, one of cinemas most defining actors, to take the role of Walter Abrams? Pacino says it was "Walter’s constant need to teeter on the edge of the abyss, to feel really alive. Walter’s got to feel that loss because that’s how he knows where he stands, who he is. It’s tied up in his identity. That is what’s so scary and so misunderstood about addiction. That’s why I was drawn to this story and wanted to do it." Pacino also says Walter functions best "when he’s desperate. But Walter’s handicapping skills aren’t what they used to be, so now his energy is put into selling. It’s like half of him is missing." According to Pacino, "Brandon becomes a focus for Walter, and he can start to live through this kid. Walter’s clever and gifted enough himself to be able to spot a Brandon. He wants to take this kid and turn him into what he never was. And he’s at a point in his life when he’s looking for a change. He has a real love for his wife and child and believes that they won’t be able to survive after him unless they are taken care of. Brandon is his way out. It’s giving him a chance to leave, to put his life in order. He thinks Brandon is the guy he can leave it to." While "Two For The Money" may not be a 'big' film, it is certainly worth seeing for the performances of its three stars; Pacino, Russo and McConaughey. In the case of McConaughey it was a performance that didn't go unnoticed. "When you look at the caliber of performances, let’s just say this is not a small picture," says executive producer Guy McElwaines. When it comes to McConaughey he notes,"You have never seen Matthew McConaughey like this. He’s an exceptional actor and this not only proves it, it takes him to another level." The Verdict "Matthew McConaughey, last seen in the highly entertaining action adventure "Sahara", returns to the big screen co-starring alongside Rene Russo and Al Pacino in the sports betting film, "Two For The Money". While it may not be a 'big' film, there is never the less, plenty to enjoy watching Pacino do his stuff. Pacino's a little more subdued than he has been in many of his previous roles but once again shows his wonderful skill in delivering what an audience wants; a strong, larger than life, intriguing character. McConaughey continues to go from strength to strength and this role really does suit him. As for Rene Russo? Well she's as gorgeous as ever and when onscreen with Pacino gives as good as she gets. I'd go see this just for the pleasure of watching three very talented actors doing what they do best. THREE STARS. Recommended. Especially if you're a big fan of Pacino." Cast & Crew Bytes "TWO FOR THE MONEY" stars .......
Academy ® Award, Golden Globe, Tony and Cecil B De Mille Award winner Al Pacino ["Sea of Love", "Scent Of A Woman", "Carlito's Way", "Any Given Sunday" and "The Recruit"]; Matthew McConaughey ["The Wedding Planner", "Frailty", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "Sahara"]; Jeremy Piven ["Rush Hour 2", "Serendipity", "Black Hawk Down" and "Runaway Jury"]; Emmy Award winner Armand Assante ["Judge Dredd", "Striptease" and "The Third Wish"], Jaimie King ["Pearl Harbor", "Bulletproof Monk", "Sin City" and "Cheaper by the Dozen 2"] and Rene Russo ["In The Line Of Fire", "Get Shorty", "Lethal Weapon 3 & 4" and "The Thomas Crown Affair"] as Toni Morrow.
"TWO FOR THE MONEY" was .......
directed by D.J. Caruso ["Cyclops, Baby", "The Salton Sea" and "Taking Lives"]; screenplay by Dan Gilroy ["Freejack" and "Chasers"]; costume design by Marie-Sylvie Deveau ["Pushing Tin", "Serendipity", "The Sum of All Fears" and "Yours, Mine and Ours"]; cinematography by Conrad W Hall ["A Gentleman's Game", "Panic Room" and "The Punisher"]; original music by Emmy Award winner Christophe Beck ["Slap Her... She's French", "Under the Tuscan Sun", "The Perfect Man" and "The Pink Panther"] production design by Tom Southwell ["The Salton Sea" and "Taking Lives"]. Run Time 122 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright © 2006 - Universal Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved