If you've ever played poker, or even watched the World Poker Tour, you'd know that it's a very intricate game; not a game of chance, but a game of skill, as Jessica Chastain playing the tenacious Molly Bloom explains in Molly's Game.

Based on the true story of ex-Olympian-turned-poker-criminal, this movie walks viewers through the challenges Bloom faced in life and the circumstances that lead to her infamous poker-running enterprise, the enterprise's collapse, and the legal repercussions that ensues.

What's immediately evident in Molly's Game is the power that Chastain brings to the main character. The movie opens with her narrating Bloom's last attempt to qualify for the Salt Lake City winter Olympics, and just her tone and voice in this opening sequence generates anticipation for how the scene will unfold. It's a distinctly captivating aspect of the film, as is how Chastain elegantly portrays Bloom. 

The 2 hour and 20 minute film is tightly scripted, as it carefully bounces between Bloom's childhood, the rise and fall of her business, and her post-business legal predicament. I don't gamble, but I think it's a safe bet that Molly's Game will receive a whirlwind of well deserved recognition this awards season.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 2