Today’s quick review: Lay the Favorite. Beth (Rebecca Hall), a Florida stripper with a sunny disposition, heads to Las Vegas, where she finds a job working for Dink (Bruce Willis), a gambler who makes his living betting on sports. Beth takes to the business and to Dink, but her presence is a sore spot with Tulip (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Dink’s jealous wife. Beth must decide whether to try to win Dink from his wife or strike out on her own.
Lay the Favorite is a comedy that’s based on a true story. Unlike similar movies, Lay the Favorite is not a crime flick. Beth’s activities are legal, at least for the most part, and the usual dramatic elements of debt, addiction, and violence are almost entirely absent. As a result, Lay the Favorite is an unusually light look at the gambling industry, with likable characters, a talented cast, and tone that never stays serious for long.
Unfortunately, that is as far as the film’s virtues go. The plot is strictly small potatoes. Beth’s gambling career has none of the highs or lows of the true crime stories it resembles. Beth’s bubbly personality is the only source of comedy; there are no overt jokes or snappy dialogue. The film also fails to make use of an impressive supporting cast, giving relatively little screen time to Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vince Vaughn, and Corbin Bernsen.
Try Lay the Favorite when you want a break from the usual drama. Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis are enough to make the movie enjoyable, but with limited humor and a thin story, Lay the Favorite has little else going for it. For a more dramatic story about gambling, check out 21. For a heist movie with a similar flavor and more comedy, check out Gambit. For a biographical con artist movie with better comedy and drama, check out Catch Me If You Can.
4.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for good characters and a lackluster story.