a shocker in the 70s james toback's take on Dostoevskyan's fate, caan actually seems to act instead of react and gives a far more compelling performance than say, Thief 7 yrs. later. The Gambler is James toback's career making debut and has some of the most intense scenes toback would ever film despite numerous strong films later on. the ending is monumental. watch it build and be amazed. 9 of 10.

A gritty, realistic film about addiction, it has a bit of haunting atmosphere to it, and although awfully dreary and a touch too harrowing for its own good, the film still packs a punch. Caan has a very interesting character, one who understands his own addiction yet still deceives himself, and he gives off a very solid performance, even though his character does come off rather cold and a bit hard to relate to. What the film shows us and what happens is quite predictable, but that does not prevent it from still having potency, and the ending certainly is not predictable, and is actually rather fascinating. The film's music score fits the project perfectly, and the driving sequences depict the character's feelings very well. Certainly this worth checking out, even if it is no cinema masterpiece.

Remember how animated James Caan was in the Godfather? You couldn't take your eyes off of him. In this film he's the exact opposite, dull as dishwater. Maybe it's the supporting cast, who frankly aren't very good, the actress who plays his mother for example is terrible, delivering her lines as though she's going through a reading. Paul Sorvino tries to inject some much-needed life into his scenes, but you can only hear "you owe us money" so many times before it loses its power...by the hundredth time, you're convinced the mob isn't going to do anything to the main character. Even the romantic scenes between Caan and Lauren Hutton are flat and lifeless. In the hands of the right director this film could have really popped but the sense of urgency implied by the situations and the characters and the dialogue doesn't exist...for example, the scene where Caan is kidnapped, he doesn't look terrified he looks bored. This movie is lame.