We published this article in a similar form for the theatrical release on March 3, 2022.
Oscar Isaac is on a franchise tour. After making appearances in the X-Men universe, Star Wars and Dune, he returned to Disney+ as the brutal Marvel Batman. But his darkest role to date can now be seen on Amazon Prime: he plays in the exceptional thriller The Card Counter a man traumatized by unimaginably cruel acts.
New to Amazon Prime: Star Wars star Oscar Isaac captivates in his darkest role
On the surface, William Tell seems more like a somewhat strange loner: the man who is very concerned about order travels as a professional player across the country and earns his money, among other things, with the strategy of card counting (hence the title of the film).
Check out the latest trailer for The Card Counter here:
The Card Counter – Trailer (German) HD
However, his orderly world collapses when he meets a figure from his past (Willem Dafoe) and a young stranger (Tye Sheridan) almost simultaneously. Two paths open up before Tell: one to forgiveness and one one to eternal damnation.
Warning, mild spoilers follow for The Card Counter.
Because Tell carries an immense amount of guilt with him: in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison During the Iraq War, he tortured prisoners under the supervision of Dafoe’s character and served almost ten years in prison. However, his supervisor got away with it. Cirk (Sheridan) offers Tell a chance for revenge while he tries to save the young man from his own demons.
The Card Counter, starring Star Wars star Oscar Isaac, is one of the best films of the year
Screenplay legend Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) turned it into one of the best films of the year. The slow, seething somber mood of the film reminiscent of neo-noirs like Drive and, like the suspense of the young cult film, erupts in a disturbing finale. The Card Counter fills Tell’s quiet control with a gripping sense of pain and guilt. Again and again disturbing torture sequences break through the cool gambling setting.
Multi-talented Oscar Isaac: Check out this scene from Inside Llewyn Davis
Inside Llewyn Davis – Clip Please Mr. Kennedy (English) HD
It seems like every character in The Card Counter is condemned to the hell of their own deeds from the start. Supported by a gripping soundtrack and carried by Oscar Isaac, who keeps his character’s war trauma on a leash like a rabid dog, the world of the film seems to be between roulette tables and slot machines like the waiting room for purgatory. Broken people amuse themselves until they atone for their crimes.
Schrader’s film, also known as “one of the best films of the year” (via Chicago Sun-Times) is like slowly rolling thunder: at times leisurely, then surprisingly explosive and ending with a violent discharge. Anyone who engages in its somber atmosphere will experience one of the currently best films on Amazon Prime.
The best streaming films of 2022 on Netflix, Disney+ and Co.
In the latest edition of our podcast Streamgegefuehl we take a look back at the streaming films of the year so far. Netflix, Disney+ and Co. have outbid each other with elaborate productions. But which of the films are really successful? In the podcast we talk about our top 10 best streaming movies of 2022.
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The streaming year was very varied in the film sector. A red panda has thrown Toronto into chaos while a princess struggled from the top floor of a tower to the ground floor. We were also able to experience the first moon landing through children’s eyes and received an amusing Jackass encore.
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What do you think of The Card Counter?