If you were to cast two of the most talked about actors of the moment in your small, independent movie, Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds would surely be those thespians. Mendelsohn is currently riding a wave of appreciation – including an Emmy nomination – for his truly phenomenal work in the Netflix Original series Bloodline, while Ryan Reynolds is a fan favourite, thanks to the upcoming Deadpool movie. The project that is bringing these two stars together is Mississippi Grind, and a new trailer for it has just arrived.
Check out the official plot synopsis below:
“Gerry is a talented, but struggling poker player about to be swallowed up by his unshakeable gambling habit. But his luck begins to change after he meets the young, charismatic Curtis. Gerry convinces his new lucky charm to hit the road with him, towards a legendary high stakes poker game in New Orleans. The highs and lows unveil the duo’s true characters and motivations, and an undeniable bond forms between them.”
Co-written and co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson), Mendelsohn stars as Gerry in the film, with Ryan Reynolds in the role of Curtis, and they are joined by Sienna Miller (American Sniper), Analeigh Tipton (Lucy), Robin Weigert (Chicago P.D) and Alfre Woodard (State Of Affairs).
While the cast list is quite impressive, the evidence on show in this trailer suggests a movie that has something missing. What that something is, is difficult to pinpoint. Both leads appear to be doing sterling work in their respective roles – Mendelsohn circling the drain, and Reynolds surfing through the situation on a wave of quips – but it is difficult to find a reason to care about what happens to these characters.
Of course, there is always the chance that this preview footage has been edited in such a way that the motivation to root for Gerry and Curtis has been in some way obscured, and that it can still be found in the actual movie. That will become apparent when Mississppi Grind is released on September 25th, 2015.