Runner Runner Review

Saw 20th Century Fox's RUNNER RUNNER tonight starring Justin Timberlake, Ben Affleck and Gemma Arterton and I think it's a pretty decent crime drama. More on those thoughts later.

So what do I think of this film. I think it was eye-candy with a potential with some wasted away while others are not fully realized. Still, this does make for one great popcorn muncher. There's just so much jargons here related to the world of online gambling that it might confuse non trendy viewers.

Ben Affleck shines as the notorious Ivan Block, the owner of this shady "online gaming" website that scams Timberlake's Richie Furst for all his hard earned savings. If anything, I consider Affleck's role here in Runner Runner as a trial run for his eventual role as billionaire Bruce Wayne / Batman in "Man of Steel 2".  On the performance itself, it was "just OK". The guy does look like a natural amongst the yachts, girls and fast cars so I can really see why he was cast as Batman's alter ego.

Justin Timberlake shows us that he can play more serious roles. While there's barely any action here in the film, Timberlake takes that challenge for himself to actually make this somewhat droll story interesting. And he does so partly with charisma and just looking all awesome in suit and tie.




Gemma Arterton was pure eye candy. The way her character was written, she was trying to be a femme fatale and partly be the damsel in distress. Both aspects fail spectacularly. Still all those scenes where she's supposed to be alluring work to her advantage.

The film looks beautiful and is typical. But face value simply cannot be the only basis to this caper-crime film. That's where Runner Runner flounders; its got no real "twist" and just follows the motions leaving moviegoers with a story that you could probably tell in 5 to 10 minutes tops.

Despite that I still like Runner Runner. It offers an interesting world, one which is highly secretive and very lucrative. Plus its a good inspiration if you're already well on your way to establishing your own online poker site. :D

Verdict: C

Special thanks to 20th Century Fox for the invitation. RUNNER RUNNER is now showing.

Ben Affleck Plays Online Gambling Kingpin in "Runner Runner"

Despite the risks – statistical and criminal – online gambling holds innumerable attractions. In today's post-economic-meltdown world, young people have fewer job options than ever before. But that hasn't done anything to affect their desire to get-rich-quickly. This generation – consumers from early childhood – is used to getting what they want, when they want it, with the click of a mouse.

“Runner Runner” depicts the risks of this reality starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake and Gemma Arterton where Timberlake plays Princeton grad and former Wall Street star Richie Furst, who believes he’s been swindled by an online poker organization based in Costa Rica. He decides to head to Central America to confront the owner, Affleck’s Ivan Block, and is soon seduced by the promise of immense wealth. As Block’s right-hand man he uncovers more than he bargains for, and is soon juggling loyalties and trying to stay alive.

The lavish life of “Runner Runner’s” gambling kingpin Ivan Block is what director Brad Furman calls, “the new American dream.” He elaborates: “Technology has led us to a world where everything comes very quickly, which has expedited this concept of the American dream. Young people today want everything faster – especially money.”

Affleck agrees, “Underneath this allure of fast and easy money is something inherently fraudulent, crooked, broken and wrong.” Everything now is about getting rich quickly, by any means necessary. The new corporate ethos is to cut the other guy’s throat. In some circles, it’s even considered healthy and to be prized.”

Ivan Block’s own journey down the rabbit hole has yielded untold riches, which is all the enticement Richie needs for what ultimately becomes a rite of passage. “Ivan Block is the unapologetic mentor who says, ‘Get what you can get and don’t think twice about it,’” says Affleck. “Block wants to manipulate Richie, to get him to be part of his team. His mission is to groom Richie so he won’t object to some of the darker things he sees.”

Affleck notes that reading people is one of Block’s chief strengths in distracting Richie from the tycoon’s less savory aspects: “Block knows what buttons to press on people, and his most impressive trick is to distract them from his true motives. To Block, people are insecure and almost desperate to succeed. He knows people feel they’ve been kicked around and that we’re taught to chase the dollar and to equate wealth with status, honor, success, and manliness. So he holds up that wealth, which blinds Richie to what’s really going on.”

“The movie hopefully will show how complicated Ivan Block is. We like to stand apart and look at people in this binary way and say you're bad and you’re good, and I think that makes really an interesting drama. What I hoped was that people would understand and identify with this guy on some levels, and maybe some people would find him and what he's proselytizing appealing. Justin's character does early on, and then given time he's revealed to be a guy who makes very bad choices and does things we recognize as immoral. What I think is interesting is that hopefully, if we've done our job right, you see at the root of those choices was a guy who wasn't necessarily bad to begin with, but chose a road. Once he made that choice he did what he had to do in order to be successful on that road,” Affleck explains of his character.

Before stepping in the caped crusader’s realm, Affleck says he immensely enjoyed the opportunity to “chew the scenery” of “Runner Runner” and, after the enormous success he had as director of last year’s “Argo,” relished the chance to “just be an actor again”. Which may come as a surprise to those who have adjusted to thinking of him as a world-class director – before the groundbreaking “Argo,” Affleck helmed the kidnapping drama “Gone Baby Gone” and Boston heist thriller “The Town.”

Included in Affleck’s journey as one of Hollywood’s A-list actors are unforgettable and blockbuster films such as “Good Will Hunting,” “Chasing Amy,” “Jay and Silent Bob,” “Mallrats,” “Dogma,” “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Daredevil,” “Gigli,” “Hollywoodland,” “Smokin’ Aces” and “The Company Men.”

“Runner Runner” opens September 26 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Gemma Arterton's Dangerous Game in "Runner Runner"

Gemma Arterton stars alongside Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in “Runner Runner” wherein her role as Rebecca Shafran is entangled in the cutthroat world of online gambling.

“Runner Runner” explores the multi-billion dollar industry of online gambling where all players are supposed to have their share, in any which way possible. Affleck takes on the role of gambling kingpin Ivan Block while Timberlake is Richie Furst, a brilliant Princeton grad student on his way to finishing his masters. Furst, in order to further finance his studies takes commissions from online gambling operators and risks playing online too for additional money. When Richie betted all of his savings and lost it to Block’s operations, he soon finds out that he’s been tricked. Determined to recollect his tuition money, he heads to Costa Rica to confront Block about his malicious online practices. Soon thereafter, Richie falls for Block’s associate –sophisticated COO Rebecca Shafran (Gemma Arterton) – and he embraces a world that sees all of his fantasies come to life. But Richie soon learns that Block is wanted for racketeering, extortion and bribery, and that FBI Special Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) is obsessed with bringing Block and his associates to justice.

“The real allure of Block’s world transcends money,” says director Brad Furman. It’s about something far more interesting – and dangerous. “The real equation in this movie is money times power equals sex. You ask men why they want money and power, and the answer usually is: women. That’s the bottom line.”

The distaff representative of this world is Rebecca Shafren, Block’s sharp and powerful COO, whose loyalty to Block is tested when she meets Richie. English-born Gemma Arterton portrays Rebecca. A gambling novice, Arterton nevertheless embraced the role. “I really liked the script, which I thought was clever and witty, and it portrayed a world I wanted to investigate.”

“I really like Rebecca,” Arterton continues. “She's almost villainous in certain ways, and she’s never predictable. “Runner Runner” is about power, wealth and greed. I was intrigued by Rebecca’s desire to live in this world, which is indicative of how many women believe they must act – in an almost masculine way – in order to succeed.”

“When Richie arrives in Costa Rica and meets Rebecca, she is very much the business person in control; she’s very tough, almost like a femme fatale,” Arterton continues. “But she also enjoys having fun. She sees this sexy, young guy and thinks, ‘I'll play around with him for a bit.’ She finds out that he's actually quite clever and smart, and he's different from other people she knows and works with. Rebecca has a real dilemma: she covets the wealth that comes with her position, and yet also rediscovers her moral bearings through her relationship with Richie. And she begins to change her outlook on Block and her position in his empire.”

A (2011) BAFTA nominee as Best Newcomer, Gemma Arterton is mostly known for the roles she played in the previously released blockbusters “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” “Quantum of Solace” and “RocknRolla.” She has most recently been seen in the highly anticipated “Byzantium” directed by Neil Jordan and written by Moira Buffini, in which she stars as vampire Clara opposite Saoirse Ronan. Her other film works include “Song for Marion,” “Tamara Drewe,” “The Disappearance of Alice Creed,” “The Boat that Rocked,” “Three and Out,” “St. Trinians” and in the animated “A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventure” as her debut voice role.

“Runner Runner” opens September 26 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. Check out the trailer feature of “Runner Runner” @ 20thCenturyFoxPh/YouTube.



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Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck Star in Runner Runner

Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck team up for 20th Century Fox's latest offering "Runner Runner". Here's the first poster, trailer and synopsis. Opens September 2013.

Synopsis: In the sexy, sultry thriller RUNNER RUNNER, Richie (Justin Timberlake), a Princeton college student who pays for school with on-line gambling, bottoms out and travels to Costa Rica to confront the on-line mastermind, Ivan (Ben Affleck), whom he believes has swindled him. Ivan sees a kindred spirit in Richie and brings the younger man into his operation. When the stakes get incredibly high and dangerous, and Richie comes to fully understand the deviousness of his new boss, he tries to turn the tables on him.

"Runner Runner" will open very soon this September from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Best Dressed Celeb Picks from the Grammys

Looking at the red carpet photos for this year's Grammy Awards and I've decided to post some of my picks from the Grammys.

Katy Perry looks so hot in her light green dress with a little bit of 'cleveland' making an appearance. Still, this doe eyed pop star looks oh-so-yummy. I heart you Katy.

Alicia Keyes is definitely on fire with her dress. The girl who sang 'Girl on Fire' should definitely go out more in this stylish dress.

Movie Review: Trouble with the Curve

A curveball is a type of baseball pitch requiring a snap of the wrist causing the baseball to run in a downward spin. This type of pitch is integral in bringing together the story of "Trouble with the Curve" starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake.

Special thanks to Warner Bros. Philippines for the invites to the special press screening for the film. 

First Look: Trouble with the Curve Trailer

Warner Bros. Has just released the first trailer of its upcoming sports film, “Trouble With The Curve” which stars Clint Eastwood as an aging baseball scout with a failing eye sight who takes his daughter (Amy Adams) with him on a trip to check out a hot prospect.