Another small, observant, and charming comic drama by writer and director Joe Swanberg, pairing with star Jake Johnson for the third time. Johnson plays a compulsive card player who gambles with (and rapidly loses) money belonging to an imprisoned gangster; he is ultimately forced to either win the money again or leave town under the cover of night. The portrayal of every dynamic and interaction feels authentic and unforced—a burgeoning relationship, nervous and tender; two brothers who love and annoy each other in equal measure; the transient bonhomie of a card table—and the lead character is a flawed, at times extremely frustrating, but ultimately sympathetic and well-rounded figure in whom we invest. A low-key, but very worthy addition to the canon of big-screen stories of gambling addiction, reminiscent of the late Curtis Hanson's underrated Lucky You.

A-

That was pretty good.

B+

Highly enjoyed this. Jake Johnson was excellent. B+