The Card Counter

"He's Playing the Hand He Was Dealt."

2021 1h 52m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 1,135

DramaThrillerCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

William Tell just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel. Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk.

“He's Playing the Hand He Was Dealt.”

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Cast

Oscar Isaac
William Tell
Tiffany Haddish
La Linda
Tye Sheridan
Cirk
Willem Dafoe
Gordo
Alexander Babara
Mr. USA
Bobby C. King
Slippery Joe
Ekaterina Baker
Sara
Bryan Truong
Minnesota

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paul Schrader
Writers: Paul Schrader
Languages: English
Countries: Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by Alexander Dynan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Giancarlo Vulcano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ben Rodriguez Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "He's Playing the Hand He Was Dealt.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt11196036 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paul Schrader directs. Alexander Dynan behind the camera. Giancarlo Vulcano scores. Ben Rodriguez Jr. cuts. Produced in Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2International production across 3 countries: Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by Alexander Dynan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Giancarlo Vulcano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ben Rodriguez Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "He's Playing the Hand He Was Dealt.".
8IMDB entry: tt11196036 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 44 themes, including "casino", "gambling", "motel", "iraq".

The technical file

Cinematography: Alexander Dynan
Original score: Giancarlo Vulcano
Editing: Ben Rodriguez Jr.
Production design: Ashley Fenton
Costume design: Lisa Madonna
Makeup / hair: Megan Gorley
VFX supervisor: Steven M. Blasini
Sound: Ben Wilkins
Runtime: 112 min · 1h 52m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $5,040,860
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Card Counter (2021)

Also by

Paul Schrader

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Steveb292021-10-03
★ 5/10
I had a little trouble following the story, and I thought it was somewhat dark. I am sure there is an audience for this kind of production, but I struggled to make it to the end. On the plus side, Oscar Isaac did a good job portraying his part.⭐⭐⭐
ummagumma2021-12-04
★ 4/10
A confused mess... Spoilers towards the end are flagged. The main storyline is only driven by a strange decision by an older man to invite an obviously mentally unstable 20 something year old man on an all expenses paid road trip across America... For reasons, the mentally unstable man then decides, as any guy in his early 20's when propositioned to be escorted across country in a car by a virtual stranger as a Piaf companion, he says yes... The whole movie is spent guessing at the relationships, one minute the mentally unstable kid is "an insolent little prick" the next he's "a good kid that needs help". You see the love interest saddened by the fact the main character regards her, essentially a stranger, as a friend but then just goes with it for reasons. This whole movie is driven by weird decision after weird decision, like the inclusion of card playing, despite the name it is nothing more than a plot moving device to explain why this weird decision has a slightly different background to the previous weird decision. All in all I feel the writer tried to do too much and as a result produced very little but confusion Spoilers below .... Spoilers below In the end I felt like the main protagonist just deciding to take turns with the antagonist torturing each other just for reasons... Ok movie... Now it's my turn.
Manuel São Bento2021-12-15
★ 7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/the-card-counter-spoiler-free-review "The Card Counter is a protagonist-driven narrative focused on a hauntingly captivating redemption arc intensely elevated by an exceptional lead performance from Oscar Isaac. The actor ends his remarkable year interpreting a complex, mysterious character with who viewers must connect in order to truly enjoy Paul Schrader's layered storytelling. From the effective flashbacks and rich narration to the unexpected final plot developments, the writer-director tackles guilt and moral responsibility in a somewhat convoluted manner with a few pacing issues. Despite a rather expository first act too centered on gambling information, this is a must-watch movie of the upcoming awards season. Beautifully shot, excellent performances, and a story that will stick with you after it ends." Rating: B+