Molly's Game - 1 nomination

Adapted Screenplay, Aaron Sorkin

Molly's Game is the (based on a true) story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chasten)  a former Olympic athlete who got into the world of high stakes poker servicing Hollywood stars, superstar athletes, high powered business people, and ultimately (and she claims unknowingly), the Russian mob.  The laws about what makes her actions legal versus illegal seem to skate along a very thin edge, but Bloom claims that for the majority of her decade running tables, all of her actions were completely legal.  As the Russian mob begins to get involved, the FBI takes an interest in Bloom, ultimately raiding her apartment in the middle of the night.  Her lawyer, Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) seems to be the only one on her side.

The writing on this film is phenomenal.  It's precise, it's tight, it's engaging.  It's Sorkin.  I'm a Sorkin groupie (West Wing forever!), and this movie exemplifies why.  He managed to take a topic about which I know less than nothing (I don't even know how to play poker), and I both understood what was happening and I was on the edge of my seat.  Jessica Chastain was almost certainly on the short list of Best Actress nominees, but this film didn't quite break through the way the other nominees' films did.  It is also just a matter of time for Idris Elba's first Oscar nom.

At any rate, I would not only recommend this film, but I intend to watch it again.  It was excellent.