How Molly’s Game Captures the Real Drama of High-Stakes Poker

Many movies have aimed to capture the energy of casinos, often portraying their gaudy glamour or the tension and stakes at risk. Our 3 Popular Casino Scenes in Hollywood Movies post showcases how films like The Hangover, Casino Royale, and Ocean’s Eleven portray the thrill of games like poker, but often in a dramatic Hollywood-esque style. The 2017 film Molly’s Game isn’t much different, but the movie takes a unique approach that’s rooted in reality; however, the true-to-life events are even stranger than fiction.

The movie is inspired by the true story of Molly Bloom and her memoir of the same name. The entrepreneur organized high-stakes underground poker games in Los Angeles that attracted Hollywood’s elite, earning her the nickname of “Poker Princess.” Though it’s not the first portrayal of high-stakes poker in the movie, its real story makes it a captivating watch that makes the poker world more real and intense. Here’s a look at how Molly’s Game captures the real drama of high-stakes poker:

Molly Bloom’s Story
The real-life Molly Bloom wasn’t always the Poker Princess. Before entering the scene, she was a competitive skier and was on track to compete in the Olympics until she was injured while attempting to qualify. In 2004, she was working as a bartender and was recruited by the co-owner of a club called The Viper Room, who tasked her with catering to players and managing the games held in the club’s basement. She was eventually fired but gained enough knowledge to set up her own poker games. She went from managing poker games in a club basement to hosting them in private homes and hotels, where she rubbed elbows with celebrities and mobsters. Her reality was pretty much already like a movie, embodying the grandeur depicted in many films featuring high-stakes poker games and casinos.

The Official Trailer for Molly’s Game, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin

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The real-life poker games
Many movies portray a fictional and dramatized version of poker, often focusing on flashy moves and tense games to make the scene more thrilling. While Molly’s Game also makes use of the same movie magic and takes creative liberties in depicting events, it’s also grounded in the real poker scene and the games she was organizing. In real life, Molly Bloom’s games drew in top stars, including actors Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck, whom she mentions in her book. Aside from her underground poker games, they’ve also been regulars at various poker tournaments. The two participated in an online charity poker tournament hosted by Americas Cardroom, the leading US poker site. Their skills have also helped them rack up big winnings over the years. Tobey Maguire, in particular, became a primary inspiration for Michael Cera’s character in the film Player X. The exclusivity and decadence in the movie aren’t just for aesthetics; it’s a realistic portrayal of what poker games frequented by A-list icons looked like.

Harlan (Bill Camp), the best player at the table, goes full tilt

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Is the movie faithful to real life?
Like most movies based on real stories, Molly’s Game takes some liberties and fictionalizes some aspects. However, many of the key events and characters have remained true to Molly Bloom’s real life. The extravagant poker games she held. According to Collider, Director Aaron Sorkin made sure to work closely with Molly Bloom to develop the film. He wanted to strike a balance between creating an exciting movie. One that is engaging to audiences without sacrificing accuracy in telling the real story. Some scenes were altered or added to the existing material in her memoir to create a more cinematic appeal. But details like the cost of the games’ buy-ins reaching $250,000. And big-name players losing money in the millions is true to life. Even the legal turmoil she faced was largely accurate, amping up the stakes in the film beyond the poker tables. It even depicts the time around the publication of her book, which served as the film’s primary source material.

Molly’s Game is an underrated gem among movies depicting the world of high-stakes poker and gaming. The real-life story behind it gives the film much more weight and impact. Knowing that these events really played out with such drama.

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Author Bio:
Mio Shirahama is a freelance writer with a passion for film and TV. She often writes movie reviews and insights but also hopes to create an award-winning script of her own. Aside from writing, she enjoys playing video games and spending time with her cats.

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