Russell Crowe directs himself, Liam Hemsworth and RZA in this thriller about a dying tech billionaire who plays a final game of poker with his old childhood pals involving art heists, luxury car races and truth serums.

Not going to kick Poker Face to death but it is hard to say exactly what it is. Starts out like Stand By Me… ends like Panic Room. Never works. Get the feeling it is all a massive tax write off… not just the piecemeal invested budget but every location, sports car and painting included seems gratuitously featured for some kind off… accounting purpose. “Nah… that’s not my new Rolex, we bought it as a prop for the film, Mr Revenue & Customs, sir.” Why is Liam Hemsworth playing someone twenty years older than himself? Why can’t it just settle down and be one definitive thing? Crowe is capable of so much more, so much better – it is difficult to fathom why he cashed in so many favours to make… this?

3

Perfect Double Bill: Owning Mahoney (2003)

My wife and I do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/