A dramedy centered on a thirtysomething woman who becomes involved with a group of geeky fiftyish men who have found a way to work the sportsbook system in Las Vegas to their advantage.
A classy cast and Frears’ light touch can’t help this innocentabroad dramedy into the winner’s enclosure. More jeopardy, less laboured larking, and it could’ve romped home.
The result is a busted flush.
Particularly disappointing given the names involved, it’s only mildly amusing at best, and more often downright tedious.
It boasts good performances from Bruce Willis and Vince Vaughn as rival bookies but asks viewers to accept characters who don't warrant much sympathy.
The story is borderline inconsequential but the characters are lively and engaging and the performances strong.
The gambling just isn't interesting, and there's not much of a love story in compensation.
Flushes don’t come much more busted than this.
Don't bet on it being a winner.
It's a shocking bore, one of the worst of Frears' substantial career, but the agony is watching Rebecca Hall in her first serious flop.
About the only person to emerge unscathed is our very own Rebecca Hall, who goes against type to play a bubbly former stripper. You can bet everyone else may well be erasing Lay The Favourite from their CVs.
An attractive proposition let down by a cack hand.
Apparently it's a true story, although the increasingly frenzied plotting rings rather false – albeit with a few tight-lipped laughs along the way.
As desperately as they ham up their performances, they can't alter the fact that this is a gambling caper in which nothing's at stake.
High-stakes gamble pays off
Stephen Frears' Lay The Favourite is about an unlikely gambling pro
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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