This movie was a bit hard to find...Mainly because the title was changed without my knowledge...When I first saw it on cable TV...It was simply called "Vig"...But it wasn't until I found it on Netflix under the title "Money Kings" did I realize it was the same film...Either way...The performances for the most part were absolutely wonderful...Peter Falk was great as a bookie working for the Mob and looking forward to retirement...Timothy Hutton was very convincing as an alcoholic unemployed father who tries too hard to win a quick buck at gambling to support his wife and children...Tyne Daly turns in a very solid performance as an understanding wife to Peter Falk's character...And there were even a couple of actors who made good credible sideline characters...Frank Vincent as a debt collector...And Colm Meany as a police detective...I also liked the brief cameo by Tony Sirico as the head of the mafia organization...The real stand out acting was done beautifully by Lauren Holly who delivered what was by far...The best performance in the movie...She played the wife to Timothy Hutton's character...A struggling Mother working two jobs to makes ends meet...Not only is she a hard working Mom trying to take care of her children...But also an amazing wife willing to do whatever it takes to keep her marriage from falling apart...She easily stole the show every time she was on screen... The only major problem with this film was the casting of Freddie Prince Jr. as the new young mafia persona looking to take over Peter Falk's booking operation...I can see now why he does so many romantic comedies...Because those are the only kinds of films he can do where he can at least come off as a somewhat credible actor...Beyond that...This was a pretty solid film with great acting and a great story...And in my honest opinion...It should have received a lot more attention than it did...Thanks to Netflix...I can say that I have a great deal of respect for this film now than when I had seen it before...And That's All There Is Too It...

**SPOILERS** Things were going pretty good for Vinnie Glen, Peter Falk, in his management of his bookmaking racket out of his Boston gin mill- Vinnie's Bar-that he's run for some 30 years. It wasn't until Locasso, Tony Sirico, the neighborhood Mafia boss started to turn the screws on Vinnie's very liberal collections habits, in not leaning too hard on his deadbeat customers, that things started going downhill.Having his not too dependable under-link Uncle Pete, Frank Vincent, break in his coke sniffing nephew Tony Cisero, Freddie Prince Jr, as both Vinnie's partner and muscle man, debt collector, Locasso made the biggest blunder since Hitler invaded the USSR back in June 1941. Tony thinking that he's Al Capone Jr quickly made a mess of Vinnie's bookie operation in not knowing the business of gently persuading-without having to break their arms legs or heads-his deadbeat customers to either pay up or be cut off from all the gambling action. A fate worse then death for anyone who's hooked on gambling.It was in fact Tony who got Vinnie to see the light in what he's been doing over the years in living off his many sick and compulsive degenerate gambling customers. Taking advantage of this sick sorry a** of a human being the out of work and always drunk Frankie Paterson, Timothy Hutton, Tony took his $1,100.00 bet on the Dallas Cowboys, who were behind by almost 20 points at the time he took it, knowing that the poor slob was in no condition to make a bet in the first place!Frankie had stolen his hard working wife's Marybeth, Lauren Holly, vacation money and after getting smashed, on cheap booze, staggered into Vinnie's office, with Vinnie away, and plunked Marybeth's money down on Dallas adding another $5,000.00, that he didn't have, on top of it with Frankie taking the bet! It's when Vinnie finds out what a mess Frankie made of not only himself but his family he tries to get Tony to smooth things over by having Marybeth pay off Frankie's debt by giving Tony, as well as himself, $200.00 a week that only include the vig or interest. That sound financial arrangement on Vinnie's part would take about seven months for Marybeth to pay her husband Frankie's debt, minus the vig, off.A desperate Marybeth is only able to come up with $150.00 a week in order to save her strung out husband Frankie-who's so drunk that he doesn't know that he lost the bet-from sleeping with the fishes. This has, in knowing a good thing when he sees one, Tony demands for Marybeth to put out, or prostitute herself, for him to make up the $50.00 that she came up short with! Seeing just how things got out of hand after Tony became his partner in the bookie business Vinnie then decided to quit the racket but only after he not only cleaned out Tony's clock but his chicken livered,in his always buckling down to his Mafiso boss Locasso, Uncle Pete's as well!Even though the ending of the movie was a bit too hard to take Peter Falk's performance as bookie Vinnie Glen was one of the best of of his long movie and TV career. Having a heart of gold in a business, taking illegal bets and loan sharking, where it's almost unheard off Vinnie got himself into a bind that he knew he'll never get out off. The both ruthless Tony and his Uncle Pete, as well as mob boss Locasso's, tactics started to turn off Vinnie to the point where he decided to sell his bar, as well as his bookie business, and move with his wife Ellen, Tyne Daly, down to sunny Florida. ***SPOILERS*** It was when Vinnie caught Tony forcing himself on a disgusted and repulsed Marybeth, in his office no less, that he just lost control of himself. It's not that Vinnie stopped Tony from having his way with Marybeth, she did that herself, he instead ended up freeing himself once in for all form this whole rotten business of taking book and shaking down and working over those sick unfortunate souls who can't or just won't pay up!

This film is only for those who still have a brain...and know it. It is sensitive and purposeful...if you reminisce about people with character..this is it...IT has a BEGINNING...a MIDDLE...and an END....and it sparkles with fine acting and the gritty photography it should have...FIND IT...SEE IT....

A wistful tale of a bookie past his prime and too nice to play the debt collector. Peter Falk gives an amazing performance as a small time Boston bookie who's far too reluctant to enforce the tough tactics of his mob boss. The movie starts slow but rewards with a touching tale aided by an inspiring cast. Lauren Holly is convincing as a self-sacrificing waitress wife of her gambler cum alcoholic husband and shows she's no barbie doll. Excellent acting also by Tim Hutton as Holly's irresponsible husband and Tyne Daly as Falk's wife. The dull spot is Freddie Prinze Jr's (who should remain in comedy) one-dimensional role. He was unable to portray well his role as an arrogant self-serving and cowardly young punk.Vig (or Money Kings) is a story about how the simple way of life can never be the status quo. This is a story about commitment, responsibility, sacrifice and doing what is right. Great movie and a touching tale.