The Gambler

The Gambler (Losejas) (2013)

Runtime: 109 minutes

Directed by: Ignas Jonynas

Starring: Vytautas Kaniusonis, Oona Mekas, Rimas Blockis, Giedre Giedraityte, Lukas Kersys

From: Several Lithuanian companies

Yes, this is my first ever movie from the country of Lithuania. Yeah, that is a big reason why I chose this, along with the plot sounding interesting to me. Overall, it's fine. I talk about the film in my Letterboxd review below:

“You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold'em”...

Oh wait, this isn't based on the song by Kenny Rogers, the movies that Kenny did for television that WERE based on the song, the James Caan/Paul Sorvino film from the 70's or the 2014 remake starring Mark Wahlberg. Instead, this is the first Lithuanian movie I have ever seen. It is on Netflix Instant and the short plot description sounded interesting.

The story: Paramedic Vicentas is pretty good at his job; he often gets recognized at work for the good job he does. Problem is, he has a gambling problem. Sure, most of the other people who are his co-workers also engage in that vice, but they don't have loan sharks constantly on their tail due to mounting debts. He starts a rather morbid lottery where they literally bet on when their patients due, and except for Ieva, everyone participates. Vicentas starts a relationship with Ieva and as you might expect, those two things come into conflict, especially when things spiral out of control in ways that surprised me.

I have to note that this is a pretty bleak movie. Sure, the lottery that drives the film is darkly comic and there indeed are black humor moments, and because I am me I laughed at all of them. But, things are stark. Without giving anything away, bad things happen to various characters. If it was designed to warn the viewer not to engage in gambling, then I say it succeeded as you don't want to deal with the sorts of situations that happen in this picture!

The filmmaking is fine (although at times it shows off in a noticeable way, IMO), the acting was at least decent, w/ the two leads playing Vicentas and Ieva doing the best job, especially with some of the moments they had to deal with. I just have to note that there were several moments or scenes which left me puzzled and flummoxed. I can't say that all those bits were because of things lost in translation, either. I can't go into detail without divulging spoilers, but there were times where I was confused and wished I knew what the director was trying to do there or what he was trying to say.

That said, I can still say that this movie was fine and I do not regret watching it; the dark satirical moments did tickle me pink, and while not maybe executed as great as it could have been, the general idea of the plot is gold... or rather, it's worth a lot of coin.