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Lang and Abrams discuss strategy in the big-money world of sports gambling

Things unravel from there as plot points are developed but never concluded. A vaguely romantic subplot between Lang and a girl he meets in a restaurant contributes the film's sex scene, and is completely unnecessary to the overall story. Lang eventually consults a Puerto Rican crime lord (Armand Assante), who later threatens his life and his family's when the picks go bad—yet it never comes up again, physically or verbally. We later find Abrams faking his heart condition to fool Lang, but his reasons for doing so remain unclear. The film wants to be one of those "nothing is what it seems" con games like The Sting, except it never goes anywhere, drawing out to an unsatisfying finale that tries to simultaneously condemn and condone gambling while attempting to reconcile characters we stopped caring about an hour before.

At best, Two for the Money is an ethical parable about the perils of gambling, portraying an incremental descent into sin caused by exploiting the weaknesses of others. But the film is ultimately a vulgar and muddled mess of story ideas from other movies—essentially the story of Wall Street with the setting of Any Given Sunday. (Coincidentally, Oliver Stone directed both, and Pacino starred in the latter.) Like Gordon Gecko's famed "Greed is good" speech from Wall Street, Abrams smugly declares, "Everything's about money," and it's good advice in this case. While there are parts of Two for the Money worth watching, it's ultimately not one worth putting your money on.

Talk About It

1. What's your opinion of sports consulting? Is it ethical? Does it differ from other consulting businesses? If you believe it should be made illegal, how do you propose stopping it?
   
   
2. How do you feel about gambling on sports? Would you consider fantasy leagues and office pools a type of "gambling"? Why or why not? The Bible doesn't specifically condemn gambling, but discuss the conclusions that can be drawn from these verses—1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5, Proverbs 13:11; Ecclesiastes 5:10.
   
   
3. Has sports lost its innocence and heart because of gambling? Why or why not? Are there any hopeful signs that the sports industry is not all about the money?
   
   
4. Consider the film's portrayal of addictions. How can we help others who struggle with addiction, whether it's gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc.?
   
   
5. Think about what the film is saying about using our gifts for the benefit of others vs. selfishly serving ourselves. How might have Lang used his talents to bounce back from his injury sooner and avoiding the sports consulting biz in the process?

The Family Corner

Two for the Money is rated R primarily for its pervasive bad language, which includes taking the Lord's name in vain and rampant use of the f-word. There's also a scene of sexuality thrown in with silhouetted nudity. The film's violence either refers to the nasty looking football injury at the film's start or an attack later in the film—neither is bloody or graphic, but the latter involves one guy urinating on another.

Photos © Copyright Universal Studios

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Al Pacino seems capable of two performances. Some are complex, subtle, and engaging (The Merchant of Venice, Insomnia, The Insider, The Godfather II). Some are over-the-top, dominating, and involve a lot of shouting (The Devil's Advocate, Scent of a Woman, Any Given Sunday.)

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