The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

A good buddy road movie with a difference. Our heroes are actually junkies of an overlooked yet very destructive drug - gambling. Like the more infamous alcohol and chemical substances, this drug tears families apart and makes some people destitute. This isn't a Cool Hand Luke were you hustle your way through games to pay for the big tournament to be crowned the best pool player. This is hard core addiction as opposed to recreational thrills. They'll bet on dogs, horses, ballgames or sports they know little about but odds look good. Games of chance they'll take it on, poker / blackjack and dice. They win big it's not enough, it ended with the last show of cards or roll of dice. Need the thrill again, even bigger, everything you've won on a single throw of a card or dice. Real life says this never ends well.

Questionable entertainment value, watching two '" train wrecks" happening at the same time. It's a buddy road movie with the theme being the pathetic lives that are the result of compulsive gambling. Two losers like Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds play certainly don't deserve any glorification. The low point is when Mendelsohn tries to steal money from his ex-wife. The acting is good, however the story meanders, and at times is sleep inducing. You do get some nice photography of various towns along the Mississippi. What is not so nice is the toxic effect their gambling addiction has on their relationships. Both characters come across as self serving jerks, with little regard for anything but their own destructive behavior. - MERK

I have a weakness for gambling films having grown up in a gambling family. This film does a lot better then most in defining two common but distinct gambling types and then having some great actors bring them to life. Reynolds oozes charm in the easier role while Mendelsohn channels the 1970's in depicting Gerry who is utterly unlikable and yet dominates every scene.This is a film in which character and sense of place are nailed while the story and structure are scuttled. Sometimes you can get away with it but this film commits too many sins. The film meanders over 148 minutes, a tightening would have sharpened it immensely but the worst is the dreaded fourth act. Had the film ended at the racetrack and not had a ridiculous denouement 20 minutes later it would have fared so much better.Watchable just to see some actors spread their wings.

Ben Mendelssohn is a strong actor. His American accent is flawless. As the main character he has a convincing performance with Ryan Reynolds. But the plot is slow, and meanders. Found myself waiting for the point of this film... You have read into this film to get its value. I found it hard viewing because of the glacial pace of the plot.As both characters pursue the fast money of gambling you see the ups and downs. At times the characters do things that just don't make sense. This adds to the painful viewing trying to work out what the point of this movie. It's not that deep frankly, as you see the typical behaviour of gamblers wrestling with their addiction and if they can overcome it.