Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter, telling the haunting tale of a gambler and former serviceman seeking closure for egregious actions of his past. William Tell, played by a steely Oscar Isaac, is a talented cards player whose spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when when he meets Cirk (Tye Sheridan) a vulnerable and angry young man seeking to execute a plan of revenge on military colonel Major John Gordo (Willem Dafoe). Tell was trained in torture techniques by Major John Gordo at the abu Ghraib prison, resulting in persecution and an 8-year detainment in military prison.
Tell sees an opportunity for redemption through his relationship with Cirk, and attempts to right the wrongs of his past by helping the troubled young man. Things begin to crumble when Cirk ignores Tell’s efforts, choosing to take matters into his own hands.
Told with Schrader’s trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions, and features riveting performances from stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe.
Thursday 2nd December
111 min
MA15+
Drama
