Main Cast: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Jeremy Piven, Armand Assante
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 122 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaughey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed when he suffered a career-ending injury. Brandon turns out to have remarkable skill at picking winning football bets. Eventually, he comes to the attention of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino), a very successful business tycoon who runs a giant gambling operation. Walter brings Brandon to New York and introduces him to a glitzy, fast-paced, money-drenched lifestyle that Brandon eagerly soaks up. When Brandon's magic touch begins to falter, Walter starts to turn on his protégé. Soon the two men are attempting to outwit each other, with Walter's wife (Rene Russo) caught in the middle. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Jaime King - Alexandria; Jonathan Bruce - Man at Restaurant; Stephen Dimopoulos - Steve; Denise Galik - Brandon's Mom; James N. Kirk - Denny; Robin Mossley - Waiter at Restaurant; Louis Mustillo - Doorman; Jeff Sanders - Football Player; Gedde Watanabe - Milton; Gary Hudson - Brandon's Dad; Michael Rodgers - Stu; Veena Sood - G. A. Hostess; Raimund Stamm - Man at Restaurant; Jason Schombing - Mercedes Dealer; David Lovgren - TV Technician; Jim Rome - Himself; Jarrod Bunch - Football Player; Trevor Roberts - G. A. Member 3; Carly Pope - Tammy; Kevin Chapman - Southie; John Clark - Football Player; Kevin Reid - Football Player; Dustin Dennard - Football Player; Christopher Robbins - Football Player; Gerard Plunkett - Herbie; William S. Taylor - Leon; Jeremy Guilbaut - Mitch; Adrian Holmes - G. A. Member 2; Kendall Cross - Make-Up Artist; Ralph Garman - Reggie; Ronald Pitts - TV Announcer; Steve Makaj - Coach; Craig Veroni - Amir; Horace Knight - Football Player; Brad Kelly - Novian's Bodyguard; Ty Law - Football Player; Mike Jones - Football Player; Tyrone Jones - Football Player; O.J. McClintock - Football Player; Dewayne Patmon - Football Player; Brandon Tully - Football Player; Malcom Scott - Man in Window; Derek Graf - Football Player; Charles Carroll - Chuck; Chrislyn Austin - Julia; Michael P. Northye - G. A. Member 4; Luciana Carro - Gail; J.B. McEown - Teammate; Barry LeBrock - TV Announcer; Joel Myers - TV Announcer; Trevor Babers - Football Player; Gene Bolton - Football Player; Stefan Gamlin - Football Player; Cedric Jefferson - Football Player; Marques Massengale - Football Player; Justin Riemer - Football Player; Maxio Royster - Football Player; Zach Wilson - Football Player
Credit
Nicholas Lundy - Art Director, Willie Heslup - Supervising Art Director, James M. Freitag - Associate Producer, Stuart Aikins - Casting, Amanda Mackey-Johnson - Casting, Pam Dixon - Casting, Cathy Sandrich Gelfond - Casting, Sean Cossey - Casting, Allan Wilson - Conductor, Wayne Morris - Co-producer, Marie-Sylvie Deveau - Costume Designer, John Maccarthy - First Assistant Director, D.J. Caruso - Director, Allan Graf - Second Unit Director, Glen Scantlebury - Editor, Dan Gilroy - Executive Producer, Rene Russo - Executive Producer, Wayne Morris - Executive Producer, Guy McElwaine - Executive Producer, David C. Robinson - Executive Producer, Sanna Seppanen - Hair Styles, Len Murach - Location Manager, Michael Young - Location Manager, Billy Higgins - Line Producer, Christophe Beck - Composer (Music Score), Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra - Composer (Music Score), John Houlihan - Musical Direction/Supervision, Emanuela Daus - Makeup, Margaret Yaworski - Makeup, Joel Echallier - Makeup Special Effects, SFX Studio Inc. - Makeup Special Effects, David M. Dunlap - Camera Operator, Brian Pearson - Camera Operator, David Crone - Camera Operator, Kyle C. Rudolph - Camera Operator, Dino Parks - Camera Operator, Kaline Schounce - Camera Operator, Bob Scott - Camera Operator, Tom Southwell - Production Designer, Conrad W. Hall - Cinematographer, James G. Robinson - Producer, Jay Cohen - Producer, Jay Mitchell - Set Designer, Milena Zdravkovic - Set Designer, David Husby - Sound Mixer, Brian Miksis - Sound Mixer, Sebastian Salm - Sound Mixer, Allan Graf - Stunts Coordinator, Danny Virtue - Stunts Coordinator, George Aguilar - Stunts Coordinator, Billy Higgins - Unit Production Manager, Wayne Morris - Unit Production Manager, George Grieve - Unit Production Manager, Dan Gilroy - Screenwriter, Bob Scott - Second Unit Director Of Photography, David G. Stump - Visual Effects Supervisor, Tom Mahoney - Visual Effects Supervisor, Jeff Upton - Gaffer, Russ Engels - Gaffer, Drew Davidson - Gaffer, Saubrie Mohamed - Gaffer, Dan Genetti - Post Production Supervisor, Nancy B. Carrow - Production Coordinator, Maire Rochain - Production Coordinator, Ethan Smith - Production Supervisor, Philip Saccio - Properties Master, Gerri Crawford - Properties Master, Michael Minkler - Re-Recording Mixer, Patrick Cyccone Jr. - Re-Recording Mixer, Ken Friss - Script Supervisor, Pattie Robertson - Script Supervisor, Deidre Horgan - Script Supervisor, Janet Munro - Script Supervisor, David Klohn - Second Assistant Director, Peter Soldo - Second Assistant Director, Steve Eathorne - Second Assistant Director, Steve Kirshoff - Special Effects Coordinator, Joel Whist - Special Effects Coordinator, David Crone - Steadicam Operator, Kyle C. Rudolph - Steadicam Operator, Mark Stoeckinger - Supervising Sound Editor, Kenneth L. Johnson - Supervising Sound Editor, Debi Weldon - Costumes Supervisor, Thom Mcintyre - Key Hairstylist, Sanna Seppanen - Key Hairstylist, Lisa Leonard - Key Hairstylist, Margaret Yaworski - Key Make-up, Amy Carter - Production Accountant, Paul Cadiou - Production Accountant, Susan Bode-Tyson - Set Decorator, Mary Lou Storey - Set Decorator, Susan Bradley - Title Design, Norma Hill-Patton - Department Head Makeup, James M. Freitag - Assistant Director, Ray Turner - Painter
Brandon Lang (McConaughey), a former college football star who, after sustaining a career-ending injury, takes a job handicapping football games. His success at choosing winners catches the eye of Walter Abrams (Pacino), the slick head of one of the biggest sports consulting operations in the United States. Walter takes Brandon under his wing, and soon they are making tremendous amounts of money.
Initially, business is very good and Lang's in-depth knowledge of the game, leagues and players continues to bring in big winnings and bigger clients. Abrams' cable show, The Sports Advisors, skyrockets in popularity when he adds Lang's "John Anthony" persona to the desk. When things go south and Lang loses his touch, the once-solid relationship between Lang and Abrams sours; their fondness for football turns into a bitter fighting match for love and money.
Lang's new high-rolling lifestyle depended entirely on his ability to predict the outcomes of the games. When he begins to falter, Abrams applies the pressure. With millions at stake, Lang and Abrams battle, drawing in everyone in their world, including Abrams' wife, Toni (Russo).
Bodog (an online sports betting firm) sponsored the world premiere of Two for the Money in Beverly Hills, California on September 26, 2005. The film itself was released on October 8, 2005 to generally bad reviews and lackluster box office returns. It scored only 20% overall rating at Rotten Tomatoes (18% for "cream of the crop"). Two for the Money's North American receipts came to only $22.9 million (and $30.5M worldwide) against a production budget of $35 million.
Rumors have begun to surface that Universal is in talks with Caruso and some of the key actors about a sequel. The sequel, tentativley titled Three for the Money, would take place a few years after the first film, with Lang enjoying success as a prominent football coach until Abrams comes back into his life in desperate need of one last score.
