Today’s quick review: Runner Runner. Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake), a Princeton graduate student, earns the offer of a lifetime when he impresses Ivan Block (Ben Affleck), the owner of an online gambling site. Moving to Costa Rica, Richie rakes in the cash as he helps Ivan run the business. But the job turns out to be too good to be true when Richie learns that Ivan will bribe, blackmail, and threaten to get what he wants.
Runner Runner is a crime thriller about a bright young man who gets pulled into a lucrative, semi-legal online gambling operation. What begins as the job of his dreams soon turns into a nightmare as Ivan shows his true colors. Runner Runner features a promising setup that sees Richie trapped every way he turns. However, weak character work and a couple of casting misses keep the movie from living up to its potential.
One of the key issues with Runner Runner is that Justin Timberlake is a poor fit for his role. Instead of a sympathetic protagonist with bold dreams and a sharp mind, Richie comes across as greedy, arrogant, and short-sighted. In the context of another story, Timberlake’s performance would work just fine, but as it stands, it keeps the audience from sympathizing with him.
Runner Runner fares somewhat better with its plot. The setup takes one or two too many steps, but once Richie settles in under Ivan, the movie gets down to business. The tension mounts are Richie gets boxed in by local authorities, a rough FBI agent (Anthony Mackie), and Ivan’s scheming. To the movie’s credit, it gives Richie the chance to strike back. But loose plot work and a weak supporting cast keep the story from every really shining.
Give Runner Runner a shot when you are in the mood for a thriller about a man who’s in over his head. The basics of the plot are enough to make the movie a decent watch, but the cast never quite clicks, making it hard to engage with the story. As such, Runner Runner is outclassed by a number of similar movies, and more critical viewers will want to steer clear.
For a movie about a college student trying to turn a profit off gambling, try 21. For another crime thriller about a smart young man who gets in over his head, try Paranoia. For a drama about a talented gambler drawn in by a shady mentor, try Two for the Money. For a story about a stock broker lured by the siren call of money, try Wall Street.
[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364841/). I give it a 6.0 for a decent plot held back by a weak lead.