Sundance 2015: Review: Mississippi Grind

The Sundance Film Festival deals keep on coming!  A24 is finalizing a U.S. rights deal for Mississippi Grind worth just over $2 million…allegedly.  Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the film stars Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelsohn, Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton, Alfre Woodard and Robin Weigart.

Mississippi Grind is a drama is about a gambler who sets off on a road trip through the Southern U.S. with a young gambling addict in an attempt to change his luck. The film launched Saturday in the Premieres Section of the festival at the Eccles Theatre, with strong performances by Reynolds and Mendelsohn.

This film sort of felt like The Sting, but instead of centering on grifters we are engrossed in the world of two different types of gamblers.  One gambles out of addiction and the other gambles literally for the high of it all and to make a little cash for his loved ones.  Mississippi Grind took me on a roller coaster of emotions and often times I held my breath out of anticipation of what was to come next.  It was intense in the way a good thriller keeps you on your toes with you thinking you have figured out the ending…only to be completely surprised in the end.  Alfre Woodard, Sienna Miller and Analeigh Tipton are all equally compelling as a bookie and female escorts (respectively)

As I have said here many, many times, a good portion of the films that come out of Sundance end up being in future awards season conversation in the upcoming year…

I promise you…Australian Ben Mendelssohn and Ryan Reynolds will be on the lips of everyone when this film is released later in 2015.  Here is an excerpt of an interview done with Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers with the two stars…