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First Reformed, directed by Paul Schrader in 2017, generated such apocalyptic rage and resolve that it appeared to be, in some ways, like a Final Film. Nevertheless, because the writer/director is neither dead nor appears to be ready to retire, what else is he going to do but continue producing films? One such film, “The Card Counter,” starring Oscar Isaac in the title role and also starring Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan as characters who have a profound impact on the man’s life, is neither a greatest hits package, nor is it a restatement of the organization’s purpose or principles, though it contains elements of both.
Robert Bresson, a French filmmaker, is the inexhaustible source of inspiration for Schrader. Transcendental Style in Film is a seminal film text by director Paul Schrader that examines the work of three filmmakers: Dreyer, Ozu, and Bresson. He is one of three filmmakers that Schrader draws inspiration from almost religiously in his thesis-turned-seminal-film text. (I’m not saying this to imply that it’s a negative development.) “The Card Counter” is one of Schrader’s “a man sitting in a room” or “man at a table” films; the concept of a “man sitting in a room” or “man at a table” originated with Bresson’s “Diary of a Country Priest.” That priest was a diarist, and his writings were bolstered by the words read aloud in voiceover to accompany the narration. Travis Bickle was transformed into a diarist by Schrader, who also specified the same type of voiceover, which “Taxi Driver” director Martin Scorsese bolstered with some visual cues from Godard, who was heavily influenced by Bresson himself, in the film.
William Tell, also known as “Will Tell,” a character in Isaac’s novel “The Card Counter” whose name alludes to both the classic fable and the Achilles’ heel of every poker player (it is a name he gave himself), keeps a diary in a composition notebook in which he writes immaculate cursive script. He doesn’t begin writing, however, until he has completely whitened the motel room in which he is staying, which he accomplishes by draping white sheets over the furniture and the bed. Will, a professional poker player on the road, is a man of discipline. He has a lot of gambling knowledge to share, including the following: “The only smart bet is red and black roulette.” Due to the fact that your chances of winning are almost 50 percent, he continues. “You’ve won, and you’re walking away.” “If you lose, you simply walk away.”
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What motivates Will to play? In order to maintain his composure. His memories of his time spent in Abu Ghraib as a U.S. Army torturer himself make him desirous of death—he explicitly recalls that during his time in prison, he goaded another inmate in the hope that man would kill him—but he chooses to continue to live regardless of the consequences. He’s on the lookout for a reason.
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It takes him a while to find two people: Haddish’s La Linda, a sweet poker tour bankroll representative with whom Will falls in love, and Sheridan’s Cirk (pronounced “Kirk” but written with a “C,” as he tells everyone on introduction), the son of an army veteran who served alongside Will and whose own guilt drove him to commit suicide. He’s come up with a brilliant idea, which he shares with Will: kidnap the military contractor who trained and escaped with the torturers and hand him over to Cirk for some of his own. The three characters are an unusual trio, but they are superbly performed. The exuberant Haddish underplays with aplomb, and Sheridan manages to make Cirk seem genuinely appealing despite his homicidal intentions in spite of himself.
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As part of his road trip, Will takes Cirk with him in the hopes of raising enough money through poker to get Cirk out of debt and to impart enough life experience to persuade him to abandon his murderous crusade for good. In some ways, this reminds me of Travis Bickle’s self-appointed mission to save the teen prostitute Iris from certain death. Will, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with redeeming himself. It is accompanied by songs by Robert Levon Been, former leader of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and son of Michael Been, whose similarly searching songs adorned Schrader’s lovely 1994 album “Light Sleeper.” Robert Levon Been is a former leader of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and the son of Michael Been, whose similarly searching songs adorned Schrader’s lovely 1994 album “Light Sleeper.” (The lead actor from that film, Willem Dafoe, appears in this one as the military contractor Cirk is after.)
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As a result, this is a film that is about much more than just poker, as you might expect. However, it is important to note that it is not really about poker at all. Tell’s decision to walk away from the situation emphasizes this point. Will participates in the game, but he is dismissive of everything that is associated with it. A funny nickname joke appears early in the film, and Isaac’s definitive line reading is “I despise celebrity gambling,” which is read by the entire cast. There is a distinct difference between this film and other Schrader “man at a table” films in that the characters are uninterested. The film “American Gigolo” was partially concerned with the exploration of male prostitution; at the time, the drug dealing and consumption of “Light Sleeper” were important aspects of New York City’s cultural landscape. First Reformed’s environmental concerns are more intense now than they were four years ago, according to the group.
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The sub-theme of “The Card Counter” is one that Schrader can throw off like a light cloak, and when he does, the film veers into a semi-surreal realm not dissimilar to that of the climax of “First Reformed,” which is a good thing. It veers back into a Bressonian variation, which ends up being one of the most brilliant shots of the director’s career.
This review was submitted to the Venice International Film Festival. On September 10th, the film will be released exclusively in theaters.
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