The Card Counter Movie Review – Details and Cast
Written and directed by the brilliant Paul Schrader, The Card Counter is another addition to our gambling movies collection that is worth your time. Enter the world of William Tell, a former soldier who spent many years in prison where he learned how to count cards. A man alone with his thoughts, troubled by his past, turned into a professional poker player. The atmosphere gives us a sensation of solitude and a hint of mystery – if we’ve got your attention, check out The Card Counter movie review below!
The Card Counter World Premiere and Overview
The movie made its appearance at the 78th annual Venice International Film Festival, which already speaks well for the production. Considering that the writer of the script, Paul Schrader, teamed up with Martin Scorsese in this production gives us another clue that the movie has a lot to offer. The Card Counter release date in cinemas around the world was on September 10, 2021, and was described as “one of the most anticipated films of the year” by IndieWire.
| 🎞️ Name | The Card Counter |
| 🌎 Country | USA |
| 📕 Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| 📽️ Release Date | September 10, 2021 |
| ✍️ Writer | Paul Schrader |
| 🎬 Director | Paul Schrader |
| 🤓 Producer | Martin Scorsese |
| ⭐ Leading Actors | Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan |
| 👍 IMBD Ratings | 6.4/10 |
| 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes Ratings | 87% |
| ⌛ Duration | 1 h 49 min |
Based on information from the most reputable film industry sources, among which IMBD, we have created a short review of the movie’s background, its cast, and its storyline. Below, we will reveal the secrets surrounding the mysterious character of William Tell and his talent in gambling. At first glance, he is an excellent player with great modesty, avoiding too much attention. Looking further into the action, you will find out everything about the solitary man’s destiny, as well as why he is after winning the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
The Card Counter Movie Review – Background and Plot
In this movie, without any doubt, there is the element of the solitary man, very specific for Paul Schrader’s work. A man alone in his room, in his head, and in the world. A story of solitude, sin, redemption, love, and death – those are the key elements creating The Card Counter plot. William Tell (played by Oscar Isaac) is a discreet gambler with undeniable discipline – he likes to bet small and wins modestly. The curious character provokes many questions in the audience – is he a good man gone bad or quite the opposite?
That is the effect of the collaboration between Hollywood’s finest – Paul Schrader, writer and director, and Martin Scorsese, producer of the movie. The characters are memorable and enigmatic, while the suspense is part of the experience. Elements of drama, crime, and thriller unite to create this particular piece of art. And if you are looking for more gambling-related movies or shows, we recommend the Sneaky Pete series.
The Card Counter Cast
There is no doubt that the most memorable actor in The Card Counter cast is Oscar Isaac, Golden Globe award winner. Over the past years, Isaac has been on top of his career, participating in the most successful productions in Hollywood.
Here, he accepts the challenge to play William Tell, an ex-soldier who, after spending years in prison, is on his way to winning a professional poker tournament in one of the best casinos in the USA, particularly in Las Vegas. The narrative is marked by darkness, mystery, and trauma – in an interview, Oscar Isaac confessed that he was fascinated by the script and surprised about how the story developed.
What we can say is that Isaac managed to impersonate the character of William Tell with great success. The secrets and the tension around the poker player are something that attracts and keeps us watching until the end. During the action, flashbacks of the young soldier’s life show us more about his dark past and why he was sentenced. The scenes of violence are based on the real Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse from 2003, which Isaac describes as brutal.
Two other characters are joining Tell on his way to the poker championship in Las Vegas – La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) and Cirk Baufort (Tye Sheridan). As in every story, there is also a bad guy. In The Card Counter, the villain is played by Willem Dafoe. The actor impersonates Major Gordo, who is responsible for Tell’s trauma and demons from the past.
The Story of William Tell in The Card Counter Film
This is the story of William Tell, an ex-soldier who taught himself to count cards during an eight-year stint in a military prison. The mysterious character is discreet – he is a low roller but a very skilled one. You will never see him play roulette at real money roulette sites – William is true to the classic land-based casinos and poker rooms, where his strength is.
The poker player avoids unnecessary attention and prefers to rent simple rooms in motels. He only travels with two small suitcases, another proof of his modesty. And if all this seems ordinary, wait until you see him covering the furniture in plain sheets and securing them with twine!
During one of his usual game nights, Tell meets La Linda, who is running a stable, an organisation of investors who sponsor gamblers in exchange for a portion of their winnings. La Linda offers William that she finances him, but he refuses without any doubt. Even though the poker player doesn’t accept the deal, his interest in the lady is unquestionable, and the chemistry between the two of them is evident for the spectator.
The Card Counter – Bad Guy Gone Good?
As William never stops striking at poker games, his journey continues. Coincidence or not, one night, he meets a ghost of his past. The retired Major John Gordo is holding a seminar in the same building as the casino where Tell chose to bet. The poker player enters the room on accident. He was already leaving the seminar when he was confronted by a young man named Cirk Baufort. It turns out that the two characters have a common hatred for Major Gordo, responsible for Tell’s nightmares and the death of Cirk’s father.
The young man is seeking revenge. He tries to convince William to collaborate and gives him his name and number. Further, Tell’s torturing flashbacks of the past don’t stop, and this is where the moment of truth comes. While he was a soldier, William participated in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse under the lead of Major Gordo. As a consequence, the character spends eight years in prison. Instead of craving vendetta, the poker player comes up with another idea. William decides to help the young Cirk avoid a violent life, so he takes him as a companion on his gambling trips.
The Card Counter Movie Review – Final Words
William decides to participate in the World Series of Poker tour. At this point, he reaches to La Linda, asking her for help. With the money that he could potentially gain, the gambler wants to help Cirk cover his debts and go back to college. The three of them travel the USA as William keeps on winning.
During one of the qualifying rounds of the poker tournament, Tell decides that he has more than enough money to help his new friend. He offers Cirk a decent amount of money, which the young boy takes and leaves the other two of the group. Anyway, things don’t go as planned, and William changes route – he has to go to Major Gordo’s house.
Finally, Tell meets in person the nightmare of his past, the man who used cruel techniques to train him when he was still a soldier. The hatred accumulated through the years in prison takes over William, making the final of the movie quite thrilling. Adrenaline is part of the experience, so get ready! If you enjoyed this movie, we believe you will also have an interest in the high roller Stu Unger story.
The Card Counter Movie: FAQ
The Card Counter movie review that you just went through covers the key points of the storyline, the cast, and details around the production. The drama is intense, and the thrill of watching is guaranteed! In case you miss some information, you can find it in the frequently asked questions below.
Similar Articles
