Runner Runner: A Life Of Endless Parties And Instant Wealth
HOLLYWOOD (WWJ) – Have you ever dreamed of getting rich quick? I'm sure it's pretty safe to say that most people have. And before you disagree, think of the BILLIONS of dollars spent just by people trying to hit the jackpot by winning the lottery. Think about this, as well: According to the producers of the new movie "Runner Runner," this generation "is used to getting what they want, when they want it, with the click of a mouse." That includes everything from "illegally downloading movies and music to Internet gambling…" And the amount of money spent on illegal Internet gambling is astronomical: $2.6 BILLION* in 2012.
Internet gambling is exactly where "Runner Runner" comes in. In the film, Ben Affleck stars as online gambling tycoon Ivan Block; Justin Timberlake stars as Princeton grad student Richie Furst.
Richie uses online gambling to pay his way through school. When he gets cheated out of his tuition money, he travels to Costa Rica to confront Block and, he hopes, get his money back. With Block worth billions, he does Richie one better by taking him under his wing and giving him a life of endless parties and instant wealth. As you can imagine, living a life like this doesn't come without consequences.
What comes next is a game of cat-and-mouse that also includes a beautiful woman, Rebecca Shafran (Gemma Arterton), and a dogged FBI agent (Anthony Mackie).
Who wins? I'll never tell! But, I will say that if you're looking forward to seeing something a little bit different at the movies – a film that's off the beaten path – that's what you'll find with "Runner Runner."
See you at the movies!
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*According to the American Gaming Association and leading gambling research firm H2 Gambling Capital.
