Runner, Runner (1/7/2014)

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake and Anthony Mackie

Directed by Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer)

I took a gamble on Runner, Runner and it didn’t pay off.

Princeton grad student Richie (Justin Timberlake), believing he’s been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Richie is seduced by Block’s promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

I’ve come to expect more from Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, but this one was more disappointing than Justin’s hairstyle.

So what went wrong? Well first of all, there really isn’t a strong hero or someone to root for. Ivan is the villain, cheating unsuspecting online players out of millions of dollars, but Richie is far from a hero. He’s willing to sacrifice his friendships, his integrity and his morals to get “super rich.” And instead of learning his lesson, he just outsmarts Ivan and wins in the end…a horrible lesson for teenagers (and the rest of us).

Based on his other films, director Brad Furman, likes to play fast and loose with morality. He also has a knack for totally taking any excitement or danger out of a film. Ivan and Richie are suppose to be “tough guys,” but there isn’t a single frame of this film where either one of them achieved “bad guy” status.

The movie is dull, stale and lifeless, I say “Skip It.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is a brief scene where we see a video of a three people having sex, and another brief scene of a couple (fully clothed) simulating sex.

There are a couple scenes of violence including a man getting beaten and another where two men are thrown into croc infested water.

There are more than 40 F-words and several other mild obscenities.

CONVERSATION STARTER

1. Do you remember when the three men were talking about being “rich” and “super rich”? How would you define those two terms?


2. What would you buy if you were rich? What would you buy if you were super rich?


3. Read Matthew 16:26
   
   And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
   
   In his pursuit to “gain the whole world” what did Richie lose?


4. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-11
   
   But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
   
   What are the benefits to being godly and content?


5. What can you do this week to be more generous and content?