Dead Money
Directed by Luc Walpoth
Written by Josh Wilcox
Starring Emile Hirsch, David Keith, India Eisley, Jackie Earle Haley
Rated R
100 minutes Runtime
In theaters and on digital September 13

by Chelsea Alexandra, Staff Writer 

Life is a series of gambles. We are forced to make decisions throughout the day. Most are low stakes. These decisions barely impact our lives and we don’t see many repercussions. However, there are the big ones; the ones that are high stakes. These decisions will have a great impact on our lives if we choose wrong. It is the thrill of the unknown, sometimes that allows us to take a gamble. With high stakes comes a high reward. Choose wrong and you could end up having the day from hell. In Luc Walpoth’s Dead Money, professional poker player Andy (Emile Hirsch) gambles big on a decision that derails the next 24 hours for him and his girlfriend. 

Andy is obsessed with poker. He loves the rush of the game. When we first see Andy, he is playing an illegal poker game that doesn’t seem to be going in his favor. His girlfriend is watching from the bar as he wastes the money he has, unable to earn most of it back. He even bets one of the players at the table that they couldn’t knock him out in one punch. That ends up being another low point for Andy.

As the game begins to wind down, two criminals storm into the place holding everyone hostage. They are looking to steal all of the money earned from the game and run out with it. On the way home, Andy’s girlfriend, Chloe (India Eisley) mentions that she had left her backpack at the bar and needs him to turn around. 

He enters the bar and grabs her backpack but hears a voice from the stairwell. As Andy slowly approaches, he sees a bag filled with the stolen cash, while the bar’s owner Jack (David Keith) and one of the hired robbers having a heated discussion. Andy stares at the money, thinking about his current financial situation. For a split second, he thinks about what his next move should be, should he fold or go for glory? He ends up taking the money and running, a decision that will create a ripple effect for the next twenty-four hours. 

With Dead Money opening during a late-night poker game, the tension is immediately set. Hirch’s character, Andy, walks the audience through the adrenaline rush of playing poker. As the rolls along, we are shown that it is the thrill of gambling that Andy is truly addicted to. That is not to say he isn’t calculated and skilled. The excitement and thrill of Dead Money comes from watching Andy play the game. 

Each decision Andy makes is as anxiety-inducing as the previous one. Andy lives life the way he plays poker, pushing the limits right to the edge and it will either make or break him. It is one single decision that he makes that ends up backfiring that causes him and his girlfriend, Chloe (Eisley) to have the day from hell.  Hirsch's performance as gambling addict Andy is decent. By the end, you are at the edge of your seat praying that Andy’s big swings pan out. Eisley is a force herself, spending most of the film playing off dim-witted criminals Jack (David Keith) and Wendell (Jackie Earle Haley). 

Dead Money is straightforward in its storytelling. It doesn’t try to overcomplicate its story or add additional elements to make the premise interesting. For the duration of its 100-minute runtime, it works well. Does it make for the most compelling story? Not exactly. It sticks to a digestible formula, but has enough action happening at all times that it will keep its audience engaged. Although the film leans into the dark violent tones of the story, there are a few light laughs. Our criminal masterminds, played by David Keith and Jakie Earle Haley, are not the brightest and some of their interactions are laughable.

Dead Money is worth the gamble. It never tries to reinvent the wheel, but gives a fun time to its audience. It has its moments that will spike your blood pressure and raise your anxiety a bit. The ending is satisfying and there is a lot of fun to be had.