Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) is an arrogant unlikeable mediocre literature professor, novelist, and one of the world's worse blackjack players. He is self destructive and much of the movie involves him attempting to get out of his gambling debts, getting the money to help, but then not using it. He has an odd relationship with one of his students (Brie Larson) and looks to borrow money from a shirtless John Goodman, a sight I could have been spared. Goodman revives his famous line from "The Big Lebowski" but not with the same bravado.The film attempts to study the character of Bennett and bores us by trying to make him "complex" when all he really was just a moody underachiever dissatisfied with life, welcome to the club. About an hour into the film I was yearning for the awful Kenny Rogers version, willing to settle for his Progressive commercial.I would recommend waiting to see this when it becomes a cheap rental.Guide: F-bomb. No sex. Stripper nudity (Chanon Finley)

The Gambler is another one of my favorite Los Angeles tales. It centers about a wealthy professor who's gambling addiction gets him deep with the sharks, and he could care less. It's a great vehicle for Mark Wahlberg, as a take away from his straight action movies, to one that is more deep in thought and just outright cool.This is a great watch for movie fans. It's very funny at times, and goes pretty low and deep as well. Very dark movie. It deserves 8 in my book, but I guess 7 works too.7 Stars

This film on contrast to the title is not about a gambler but of a man on the path of self destruction due to his personal problems/conflicts.The beauty of the film is the intelligent narration of the film which makes us keep thinking about the movie even after it is over.We need stories like this to understand the complexities of the mind and you need to understand the protagonist to see the beauty of this film.I'll give it an 8/10.

It took me three sittings to get through this movie, partly due to boredom, and partly because I stopped caring what happened to Mark Wahlberg's character.THE GAMBLER is about Jim Bennett, who lives a double life as a college professor and a degenerate gambler. He quickly finds himself out of control, and in debt to more than one shady character. Even with his mother bailing him out, he proceeds to blow more money, seemingly not caring about the result.The problem with this movie is twofold: First, the script is written in a very theatrical way, with long soliloquies more befitting a Shakespearean character than a movie actor. Nobody in real life talks like that. Second, Mark Walhberg does not have the depth or ability to deliver these long speeches in any other way than a monotonous mumble. In addition, his character shows little emotional range, making the audience share his ambivalence, not caring whether or not he finds redemption in the end.The only entertaining contribution to this movie comes from John Goodman, one of the loan sharks to whom Mark Wahlberg's character is deeply indebted. Unfortunately, Goodman only plays a small role in an otherwise forgettable movie.