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The Card Counter
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The Card Counter
The Card Counter is a 2021 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. Starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe, it follows U.S. veteran William Tell (Isaac), and former gambler, takes a young friend on the World Series of Poker tour.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2021, where it competed for the Golden Lion. It was theatrically released in the United States by Focus Features on September 10. It received positive reviews from critics.
William Tell is a gambler who taught himself how to count cards during an eight-year stint in military prison. Seeking to avoid attention—either from fame or from casino bouncers—Tell's gambling philosophy is to bet small and win modestly. Despite gambling nearly every day, he avoids scrutiny by never staying in a casino hotel. He lives out of two small suitcases and exclusively stays in motels, where he removes any decor and covers the furniture in plain sheets secured with twine. At a casino, Tell encounters La Linda, an acquaintance from the gambling world. She runs a stable, a group of gamblers who are backed by investors for a portion of their winnings. She offers to stake Tell but he refuses, unwilling to be burdened by the responsibility.
In Atlantic City, a security-industry convention is being held in the same building as the casino. Tell slips into a seminar held by retired Major John Gordo, but decides to leave almost immediately. On the way out, he is recognized and confronted by a young man, Cirk Baufort, who slips him his name and number. After a nightmare about torture in a prison camp, Tell calls Cirk and agrees to meet.
Cirk knows Tell's true identity: PFC William Tillich, a soldier who was tried and convicted for his role in the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. Cirk explains that his father, Roger, was also at Abu Ghraib; like Tell, he was dishonorably discharged and served time, but the experience led him to drug addiction and made him violently abusive. Cirk's mother left the family, and Roger eventually killed himself. Gordo trained Tillich and the elder Baufort in "enhanced interrogation techniques" but as he was involved as a "civilian consultant" avoided charges or culpability. Blaming Gordo for what happened to his family, Cirk is planning to capture, torture and kill him for revenge and seeks Tell's help. Tell refuses but offers to take Cirk along as he gambles in an attempt to help the young man avoid a violent life.
At their next stop, Tell informs La Linda that he is interested in making an arrangement. He expresses a desire to go on the World Series of Poker (WSOP) tour in order to win enough money to help Cirk cover his debts and start a new life, after which Tell will retire. After early WSOP matches, Tell makes money but loses to Mr. USA, an obnoxious Ukrainian player who has taken on a jingoistic American persona. He bonds with Cirk and feels a growing attraction to La Linda but avoids getting too close as he continues making money gambling.
At a qualifying round in Panama City, Cirk discloses that he still plans to kill Gordo. Tell takes Cirk back to his motel, confronting the younger man with a harsh interrogator persona. He presents Cirk with $150,000 from his gambling winnings, enough for Cirk to pay off his and his mother's debts and return to college. He insists Cirk return to his mother and forget about Gordo, threatening violence if he does not comply; Cirk leaves with the money. Tell, who has begun a relationship with La Linda, advances to the final table of the WSOP. While on a break he receives a message from Cirk, revealing that rather than returning home he went to Gordo's house to kill him. Tell is unsettled during the resumed match and abruptly walks off the casino floor. A news report shows that Gordo has killed an armed home intruder, presumably Cirk.
Tell drives through the night to reach Gordo's house, where he covers the furniture as he does in his motel rooms. Gordo returns home and Tell holds him at gunpoint, revealing who he is and why he is there. Rather than shooting him, Tell takes Gordo into another room for a "dramatic reenactment" of their time in Abu Ghraib. Both men are heard screaming in agony and eventually Tell emerges from the room severely wounded and covered in blood. He calls the police to report a homicide. Tell is incarcerated in the same military prison as before, accepting the routine and ascetic setting as he feels it is what he deserves. La Linda arrives for a visit and the two reach out to each other, each placing a single finger on the glass separating them.
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The Card Counter
The Card Counter is a 2021 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. Starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe, it follows U.S. veteran William Tell (Isaac), and former gambler, takes a young friend on the World Series of Poker tour.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2021, where it competed for the Golden Lion. It was theatrically released in the United States by Focus Features on September 10. It received positive reviews from critics.
William Tell is a gambler who taught himself how to count cards during an eight-year stint in military prison. Seeking to avoid attention—either from fame or from casino bouncers—Tell's gambling philosophy is to bet small and win modestly. Despite gambling nearly every day, he avoids scrutiny by never staying in a casino hotel. He lives out of two small suitcases and exclusively stays in motels, where he removes any decor and covers the furniture in plain sheets secured with twine. At a casino, Tell encounters La Linda, an acquaintance from the gambling world. She runs a stable, a group of gamblers who are backed by investors for a portion of their winnings. She offers to stake Tell but he refuses, unwilling to be burdened by the responsibility.
In Atlantic City, a security-industry convention is being held in the same building as the casino. Tell slips into a seminar held by retired Major John Gordo, but decides to leave almost immediately. On the way out, he is recognized and confronted by a young man, Cirk Baufort, who slips him his name and number. After a nightmare about torture in a prison camp, Tell calls Cirk and agrees to meet.
Cirk knows Tell's true identity: PFC William Tillich, a soldier who was tried and convicted for his role in the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. Cirk explains that his father, Roger, was also at Abu Ghraib; like Tell, he was dishonorably discharged and served time, but the experience led him to drug addiction and made him violently abusive. Cirk's mother left the family, and Roger eventually killed himself. Gordo trained Tillich and the elder Baufort in "enhanced interrogation techniques" but as he was involved as a "civilian consultant" avoided charges or culpability. Blaming Gordo for what happened to his family, Cirk is planning to capture, torture and kill him for revenge and seeks Tell's help. Tell refuses but offers to take Cirk along as he gambles in an attempt to help the young man avoid a violent life.
At their next stop, Tell informs La Linda that he is interested in making an arrangement. He expresses a desire to go on the World Series of Poker (WSOP) tour in order to win enough money to help Cirk cover his debts and start a new life, after which Tell will retire. After early WSOP matches, Tell makes money but loses to Mr. USA, an obnoxious Ukrainian player who has taken on a jingoistic American persona. He bonds with Cirk and feels a growing attraction to La Linda but avoids getting too close as he continues making money gambling.
At a qualifying round in Panama City, Cirk discloses that he still plans to kill Gordo. Tell takes Cirk back to his motel, confronting the younger man with a harsh interrogator persona. He presents Cirk with $150,000 from his gambling winnings, enough for Cirk to pay off his and his mother's debts and return to college. He insists Cirk return to his mother and forget about Gordo, threatening violence if he does not comply; Cirk leaves with the money. Tell, who has begun a relationship with La Linda, advances to the final table of the WSOP. While on a break he receives a message from Cirk, revealing that rather than returning home he went to Gordo's house to kill him. Tell is unsettled during the resumed match and abruptly walks off the casino floor. A news report shows that Gordo has killed an armed home intruder, presumably Cirk.
Tell drives through the night to reach Gordo's house, where he covers the furniture as he does in his motel rooms. Gordo returns home and Tell holds him at gunpoint, revealing who he is and why he is there. Rather than shooting him, Tell takes Gordo into another room for a "dramatic reenactment" of their time in Abu Ghraib. Both men are heard screaming in agony and eventually Tell emerges from the room severely wounded and covered in blood. He calls the police to report a homicide. Tell is incarcerated in the same military prison as before, accepting the routine and ascetic setting as he feels it is what he deserves. La Linda arrives for a visit and the two reach out to each other, each placing a single finger on the glass separating them.