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Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Jeremy Piven, Armand Assante ... see more see more... , Jaime King , Jonathan Bruce , Stephen Dimopoulos , Denise Galik , James N. Kirk , Robin Mossley , Louis Mustillo , Jeff Sanders , Gedde Watanabe , Gary Hudson , Michael Rodgers , Veena Sood , Raimund Stamm , Jason Schombing , David Lovgren , Jim Rome , Jarrod Bunch , Trevor Roberts , Carly Pope , Kevin Chapman , John Clark , Kevin Reid , Dustin Dennard , Christopher Robbins , Gerard Plunkett , William S. Taylor , Jeremy Guilbaut , Adrian Holmes , Kendall Cross , Ralph Garman , Ronald Pitts , Steve Makaj , Craig Veroni , Horace Knight , Brad Kelly , Ty Law , Mike Jones , Russell Tyrone Jones , O.J. McClintock , Dewayne Patmon , Brandon Tully , Malcom Scott , Derek Graf , Charles Carroll , Chrislyn Austin , Michael P. Northye , Luciana Carro , J.B. McEown , Barry LeBrock , Joel Myers , Trevor Babers , Gene Bolton , Stefan Gamlin , Cedric Jefferson , Marques Massengale , Justin Riemer , Maxio Royster , Zach Wilson

D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaughey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed when he suffered a career-ending injury. Brandon turns out to have rema... read more read more...rkable skill at picking winning football bets. Eventually, he comes to the attention of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino), a very successful business tycoon who runs a giant gambling operation. Walter brings Brandon to New York and introduces him to a glitzy, fast-paced, money-drenched lifestyle that Brandon eagerly soaks up. When Brandon's magic touch begins to falter, Walter starts to turn on his protégé. Soon the two men are attempting to outwit each other, with Walter's wife (Rene Russo) caught in the middle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

83,869 ratings

Critics

21% liked it

109 critics

R, 2 hr. 4 min.

Directed by: D.J. Caruso

Release Date: October 7, 2005

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DVD Release Date: January 17, 2006

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Stats: 1,963 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,963)

  • danperry17
    October 16, 2011
    danperry17
    The thing about a business that makes and sells picks to sports bettors is that, technically, it's not gambling... except for the fact that it is. What was good about this film was the recovered gambling addict (Pacino) and his wife, the poorly acted but more-or-less believable e... read morex-drug addict (Russo). They walked and talked like rehabbers, no question. But what was really frustrating was the pervasive fear that Pacino would go back to gambling... his business is based on making the right picks. He's been gambling all along! The film is anything but subtle, and though it's promising through the first half, it loses control in the second, throwing in a bunch of scenes that unnecessarily delay the resolution, and distract from the movie's point, that you can't win them all. Still, there is a decently-plotted classical tragedy element to McConaughey's character (pride goeth before the fall), and Pacino is always fun to watch. Too bad this film's only half-baked, it had potential.
  • fb733768972
    January 27, 2010
    fb733768972
    This movie sucks like a vacuum!
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    November 28, 2008
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    Walter Abrams: "Stats are not enough, you need a voice! These are gamblers ready to risk what they can't afford for what they can't have, you're selling the world's rarest commodity: certainty, in an uncertain world."

    D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaug... read morehey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed when he suffered a career-ending injury. Brandon turns out to have remarkable skill at picking winning football bets. Eventually, he comes to the attention of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino), a very successful business tycoon who runs a giant gambling operation. Walter brings Brandon to New York and introduces him to a glitzy, fast-paced, money-drenched lifestyle that Brandon eagerly soaks up. When Brandon's magic touch begins to falter, Walter starts to turn on his protégé. Soon the two men are attempting to outwit each other, with Walter's wife (Rene Russo) caught in the middle.

    Review
    Well, I saw this movie yesterday, and although I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't terribly thrilled, either. I imagine it would be different for someone who was really into sports, sports gambling, or maybe was a compulsive gambler himself. For me, the relationships were interesting, and Al Pacino certainly chewed the scenery in his role as a kingpin sports prognosticator. I would say that he was over-the top except that I know actual people from New York who are really like that. Matthew McConaughey was as good as I have seen him and ripped as ever. I would recommend the picture for beefcake fans, but there really wasn't enough to make a meal of. Not my type of picture, more suitable for sports fans.
  • allan913
    April 6, 2008
    allan913
    Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance, he shows us once again why he's the best actor of his generation and never fails to deliver. Matthew McCounahgy is at the top of his game, showing off his movie star charisma and that he can stand with his veteran mentor. A real adrenilin... read moree rush. A slick, cool and wickedly funny thriller.
  • Chiefilms
    March 3, 2008
    Chiefilms
    Can't take McConaughey seriously but always will give Pacino a chance.
  • MovieGeek13
    January 31, 2007
    MovieGeek13
    Slick entertainment. Well written, well acted, well paced.
  • binky013
    August 29, 2006
    binky013
    I wasn't expecting much from this film, aside from getting a look at what Pacino is up to. I have to say, he does not disappoint. The subject matter really is a problem for me, not being a hardcore sports gambling kind of guy.

    McConaughey turns in a typically average perfo

    ... read morermance, and Russo is pretty much wasted here. But Pacino can really make much out of little in terms of script and story, and is definitely worth seeing in this.

    There's a bit of a fairytale ending to this which is not very convincing. You'd think, after all the lives that these gentlemen ruin, that they'd at least have their legs broken or be subject to drive-by shootings, at minimum, but the closest we get to any real-world comeuppance is Assante avenging his massive losses by urinating, menacingly, on McConaughey. Not exactly what I would call true-to-life.

    Still, Pacino is worth the time spent seeing this.
  • DrZeek
    June 14, 2006
    DrZeek
    Promising first half met with a dissapointingly slow second.
  • barrys
    April 1, 2006
    barrys
    its a movie that involves you very quick with a very interesting theme and story.
    it has a grat cast that made a great job specially and as usual from Al Pacino,
    I like it and fully recommend it
  • zillionaire
    March 28, 2006
    zillionaire
    A film about betting on american "football"..yes it was that dull!

View All Two For the Money Reviews

Critic Reviews

James Berardinelli
October 12, 2005
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Original screenwriting gives way to clichés, and the resolution, while offering closure, seems false -- too much a case of the filmmakers wanting to have their cake and eat it, too. Full Review

Richard Roeper
October 11, 2005
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

It really works as a study of gambling. Full Review

Mike Clark
October 7, 2005
Mike Clark, USA Today

The movie has a lot of built-in flash and is thus mildly entertaining, though the running time grinds it down. Full Review

Peter Howell
October 7, 2005
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Pacino is having a blast, and so might the viewer, at least until our scenery muncher finally gobbles all the foliage mid-way through the picture. Full Review

G. Allen Johnson
October 7, 2005
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

Big, loud, glossy and entertaining. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 7, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

The movie makes a bet that the filmmakers can't cover. Full Review

Lisa Rose
October 7, 2005
Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

The plot is predictable and Pacino is cast in a role he can play on autopilot. Full Review

Jack Mathews
October 7, 2005
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News

If you're looking for a movie for a boys' night out, it's a winner. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
October 7, 2005
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Its rhythms belong to a sports film: game, game, hurdles, big game, biggest. And that, at least, you can bet on. Full Review

Rick Groen
October 7, 2005
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Falls somewhere on that aesthetic scale between mediocre and flat-out bad. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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