4K UHD Review – The Gambler

The abyssal depths of addiction are explored in 1974’s “The Gambler,” with screenwriter James Toback using his experience in the world of gambling to inspire a dramatic understanding of powerlessness. Emotions are tightly controlled in the picture, with director Karel Reisz aiming to follow the tentative stability of the main character as he wrestles with a reality he doesn’t want to accept, growing more desperate as the roller coaster ride of wins and losses begin to do real damage to his life. The endeavor maintains some emotional distance from the worsening situation, but Reisz and Toback have their way with the psychology of it all, creating tense moments of blistering internalization, giving star James Caan a chance to deliver one of his finest performances. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com