THE CARD COUNTER
US, 2021, 111 minutes, Colour.
Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe, Alexander Barbara.
Directed by Paul Schrader.
The film written and directed by veteran Paul Schrader, a film about cards, blackjack – but, eventually, much more.
To offer a flavour of what will be seen is a suggestion that there is going to be a flurry of articles (even theses?) forthcoming, exploring the similarities between Schrader’s characters, Travis Bickle, the Taxi Driver, and William Tillich, the Card Counter – personalities, events shaping their characters, obsessions, motivations. And, while Travis Bickle looked into his mirror and asked “are you talking to me?”, William Tillich frequently gazes into mirrors but asking himself who he really is.
Oscar Isaac is William Tillich. Oscar Isaac has built up a substantial career over 15 years, appearing in 2021 in the television series remake of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes of a Marriage as well as playing Duke Leto in Dune. Isaac has a serious demeanour, often quite some gravitas – and this is how he initially appears as the Card Counter.
He has quite a back story but we do not learn this for quite some time. Rather, we learn that he has spent some time in prison, found that regular prison life appealed to him more than his previous somewhat reckless life. He had played cards, learn to count cards, and offers quite an explanation of his methods of counting – which may be illuminating to poker players but is rather overwhelming for audiences who are trying to keep pace (and never could while participating in poker) with his explanations and methods.
He encounters three characters. Tiffany Haddish (not in a comic role this time) is a gambler who has created a stable of her players and found them wealthy backers, moving them from card tournament to tournament around the US. Willem Dafoe is seen as giving a lecture on security technology and identity recognition. Tye Sheridan is a young man, sitting next to William at the lecture who unburdened himself about his past – creating a link between his father and telling.
And, the audience has been prepared for some revelations by a dream sequence which William has in his hotel room (where he always covers mirrors and all furniture with protective sheets, tying them with rope). The nightmare is of torture tunnels at Abu Ghraib, so visually churning sequences of the torture that took place there, visual, brutal, humiliating, relentless).
Which means that this interesting film takes us in quite a different direction, the revelation about William’s past, the reason that he was in prison, the connection with Willem Dafoe and his masterminding and supervising so much of the torture, and the young man’s father also involved.
Schrader raises the possibilities for William Tillich – to join with the young man and follow a path of revenge or to become a mentor to the young man, urging him to make contact with his alienated mother, willing to provide finance for him and his studies, all with the approval of La Linda. In the meantime, William continues with his tournaments, battling a braggard who appears at every tournament, with his ragtag and loud supporters, Mr USA.
Has William made peace with his past life, found love and companionship with La Linda, enabling the young man to find some meaning and hope in his life? With a Paul Schrader film, this kind of happy ending seems rather unlikely – but we need to see it to the very end to appreciate the moral decisions of William Tillich.
- Paul Schrader’s career, writing and directing, serious and sombre themes? His perceptions of American life?
- The world of casinos, interiors, their looking alike, the poker machines, the games and the tables, the card counters, the croupiers? The world of hotels and motel rooms? The contrast with the prison sequences?
- William’s nightmare, the elaborate presentation of the tunnels and torture at Abu Ghraib?
- William’s story, a card counter, the audience not knowing much about him initially, his voice-over and gradual revelation? His young days, reckless, womanising? The years served in prison, his liking the regular life, seeing him, his explanation? Out of jail? The card talent?
- Card games, poker, blackjack…? William and his detailed explanation of how he observed the cards, the consequences for his techniques, winning?
- William in action, the range of opponents on the circuit, especially Mr USA and his yelling entourage? His travels, getting a room in a motel, covering all the furniture with the sheets and the rope? (And the echo with John Gordo and his house and furniture covering?)
- The encounter with La Linda, her personality, verve, age and experience, gambling, her role in getting a stable of card players, getting the financial backing, her cut of the proceedings? William’s refusal, change of heart, his touring for her? Her personality, influence?
- The change of direction in the narrative with William going to the lecture by John Gordo, on security and face recognition? Cirk sitting next to him? His leaving, Cirk following, revealing the story of his father, John Gordo and his role in interrogations and torture? Not part of the government, escaping accusations and imprisonment, his own successful business? Cirk’s father and his treatment of his wife, his son? His suicide? Cirk and his alienation from his mother, refusing to see her?
- William, seeing something in Cirk, taking him on, that travelling together, instructing him? Cirk revealing his motivations, wanting revenge on John Gordo, wanting William to help him? La Linda and her support of Cirk? The relationship between William and La Linda, the sexual relationship?
- William, his moral dilemma, the temptation for revenge? His option for Cirk? To give him all the money, paying for college, paying off debts? The condition that he go to visit his mother? The powerful confrontations between William and Cirk, William using torture interrogation techniques and subduing Cirk? Cirk agreeing to the deal?
- William shop, the television news, Gordo’s house, the news of his death? Cirk, going to the house, confronting Gordo, Gordo’s taunts about his father?? But Cirk’s death?
- William, contact with Cirk’s mother, the sad news? William, jolted by the news about Cirk – and his breaking the deal? In the final tournament, La Linda watching, his leaving? The impact of the news of the deaths?
- William, decision, the confrontation, Gordo and his reaction? Death?
- William, the decision made, accepting responsibility, going back to prison, the regular life?
- The visit of La Linda, what might have been, William and his moral code and his life in prison?
