Themes: Unlikely Criminals, Gambling, College Life
Main Cast: Nick Stahl, Lukas Haas, Johnny Galecki, Rachael Leigh Cook, David Proval
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 93 minutes
Plot
The sophomore outing for Mark Illsley, the writer and director of 1999's Happy Texas, Bookies is a return to the crime comedy genre of the filmmaker's first project. Starring Nick Stahl, Lukas Haas, and Johnny Galecki as college buddies Toby, Casey, and Jude, the film begins with the trio upset over a substantial gambling loss. After paying up, they decide that they are on the wrong side of the transaction and concoct a plan to become bookies themselves. Working in the shadows so as not to let on that they are anything but professionals, the young entrepreneurs devise a system that involves leaving money in unpopular books at the library where Jude works. Before they know it, the guys are rolling in the dough. Casey buys a bunch of computer equipment, Jude gets himself a drug habit, and Toby uses his newfound wealth to impress Hunter, a fellow student played by Rachael Leigh Cook. But just as fast as things started to go well, they take an unexpected turn. The boys are making so much money that they're cutting into the business of the local mafia. As one might expect, the thugs don't take too kindly to competition. Also starring John Diehl and David Proval, Bookies premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Bookies is a 2003 movie written by Michael Bacall and directed by Mark Illsley. The story revolves around the lives of four college students. It was not well received by audiences, but it is nevertheless played in the early morning on network television in the US with little regularity.
Plot
Three male college students, Toby (Nick Stahl), Casey (Lukas Haas) and Jude (Johnny Galecki), start up a bookie business taking bets from various clients. Their business immediately booms, arousing suspicion among local campus authorities and Toby's girlfriend, Hunter (Rachael Leigh Cook).
They subsequently are able to purchase many expensive items such as big screen televisions and new computers to help them manage their complex business. When their business takes off, Jude receives threats from two local Italian bookies to back down because their territories for the business overlap.
The movie ends when a plan by Jude fails to materialize when betting on the college's team to win the game. Toby devises a way to eliminate the threat from the other bookies and get them out of the business by liquidating their assets and betting all of their earnings on one boxing match. The underdog on which they placed the bet won. Some money went to pay off the bookies, and the remaining spoils were divided amongst the three.
Jude drops out of school and Toby says that "he wasn't first genius to flunk out of college." Casey changes his major at the college, gets new friends, and doesn't see Toby much. Toby continues at college and uses his money to get through grad school. He plays Hunter in a foosball match to win another chance with her after having lost her love through the ordeal.
