Watch Lay the Favorite
- R
- 2012
- 1 hr 34 min
-
4.8 (12,185)
Lay the Favorite, released in 2012, is a comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, and Vince Vaughn. The movie is based on the memoir of the same name written by Beth Raymer, a woman who worked as a professional gambler in Las Vegas. The film centers around Beth Raymer (Rebecca Hall), a young woman who moves from Florida to Las Vegas to pursue her dream of becoming a cocktail waitress. She quickly becomes disillusioned with the job and starts looking for other ways to make money. Beth lands a job as a secretary for Dink Heimowitz (Bruce Willis), a professional sports gambler who operates from his office in Las Vegas. Dink's business partner and rival, Vince (Vince Vaughn), is also introduced.
Under Dink's guidance, Beth learns the ropes of sports gambling and excels in the field. However, when Beth starts having an affair with Dink, things start to get complicated. Dink's wife, Tulip (Catherine Zeta-Jones), finds out about the affair and bans Beth from their operation. In retaliation, Beth starts working for Vince, who is more than happy to take her under his wing.
Beth's new job with Vince leads her to work with a group of shady characters who operate outside the law. She becomes involved in some questionable schemes, including working for a group of Russian gangsters who have rigged a high-stakes poker game. With her newfound knowledge of the underground gambling world, Beth tries to stay afloat and make a name for herself in the competitive gambling industry.
Overall, Lay the Favorite is a comedic take on the glamorous, exciting, but ultimately seedy world of professional gambling. The movie draws attention to the unique and often complex relationships between professional gamblers, the people they trust, and the people they try to deceive. The film also explores themes of loyalty, trust, and the lengths people will go to achieve their goals. At its core, Lay the Favorite is a character-driven story that explores the intriguing and often dangerous lives of those who gamble professionally.
Lay the Favorite is a 2012 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.8 and a MetaScore of 38.