FLUTTER (director: Giles Borg; screenwriter: Stephen Leslie; cinematographer: Christopher Ross; editors: Sean Thompson /Guy Bensley; music: Jacob Groth; cast: Joe Anderson (John), Billy Zane (Edwin the Dentist), Anna Anissimova (Stan), Luke Evans (Adrian), Laura Fraser (Helen), Max Brown (Wagner), Anton Lesser (Bruno), Mark Williams (Fred); Runtime: 96; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Sarah Boote; XLrator Media (Verbatim); 2011-UK)
“The cautionary tale warning us about the dangers of gambling might be worth a small wager for some punters.“
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Giles Borg(“1234”) mechanically directs this oddball wannabe noirish thriller that uses the dog track for ambiance. Its out of the money script, with obvious warnings about greed and temptation, is written by Stephen Leslie. The title refers to a British idiom for a small wager. There’s a 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll soundtrack, darkish photography that is not as menacing as it could have been and amiable performances by the unheralded cast.
It’s about a luckless London gambler, John (Joe Anderson), married to a lawyer named Helen (Laura Fraser). John goes regularly at night to the dog track with his two pals (Max Brown & Luke Evans). When his dentist (Billy Zane) gives him a winning tip, John bets with the new Stan (Anna Anissimova), a mysterious American lady bookie (Anna Anissimova). Stan befriends and lures John into making novelty bets until he goes over the edge and threrby the compulsive gambler will do just about anything to get a stake when he can’t stop losing.
There’s a Faustian twist that rallies down the stretch to see if it could bring the far-fetched narrative into the money. The cautionary tale warning us about the dangers of gambling might be worth a small wager for some punters.
REVIEWED ON 11/12/2015 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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