William “Bill” Tell (Oscar Isaac) is a gambler with a dreadful past. La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) offers him money to join her stable during his casino tour. After first refusing, he meets Cirk (Tye Sheridan), a young, troubled man with ties to Bill’s past, Maj. John Gordo (Willem Dafoe) chooses to work for La Linda to earn enough money to set Cirk on the right path.
Oscar Isaac plays a man fighting past errors and inner evil in The Card Counter. It is not an easy film to see, but it addresses a Hollywood taboo. Energy and control are career hallmarks for Isaac.
Kirk’s Strategy (And Why It Won’t Work)
Kirk and Bill’s meeting seems to be a coincidence at first. Still, it soon becomes clear that Tye Sheridan’s character has intentions for Bill and is also aware of Bill’s horrific secret: he was a former correctional officer at the infamous Abu Ghraib who worked under Maj. Gordo, a military contractor. He also discusses his past with that hook.
Bill’s father, like Gordo, worked as a guard at Abu Ghraib and was condemned to military prison, while Gordo got away with murder. Her mother departed, as did his father, who turned to drink and eventually committed himself. Kirk’s retaliation scheme includes Gordo’s abduction, torture, and final death.
What Prompted Cirk To Revisit His Mother?
Despite his harsh techniques, Bill seems to have succeeded in reaching Kirk in the film’s last act. Ultimately, Bill decides to scare Cirk directly since he realizes his more indirect approach isn’t working. Bill reverts to the person he was at Abu Ghraib under cover of torturing Kirk in his hotel room with startling rapidity.
Until now, we’ve only seen Bill in flashbacks, and they were intense enough to equal The Hurt Locker passages. Kirk is on his way back to his mother’s home after a night of drinking and partying when he is contacted by Bill, who encourages him to abandon his plans and take the money Bill has saved for him, which he has saved for Cirk’s college debt, and return to school.
The Movie’s Hidden Message In The Final Scene
Bill confesses his crimes to the authorities due to his complicity in Gordo’s murder of Kirk, the former Army Major, after watching a news item alleging Gordo had slain Cirk. So he’s in jail again, this time for murder. Tiffany Haddish’s character, La Linda, pays a visit to Bil in prison after the film. It comes as a bit of a surprise.
He abandoned her after they had formed a relationship and stopped his poker tournament from killing a man–and from doing it ruthlessly. Then he encounters La Linda, who seems to be understanding rather than angry or jilted. Finally, the camera pans and remains on Bill and La Linda as they come into contact with the glass partition that separates them. The viewpoint is maintained till the end.
