Bruce Willis and Vince Vaughn star in this touching comedy about a Las Vegas gambler who hires a stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold as his good luck charm but ends up on the wrong side of the law after she … Bruce Willis wasn't so Bruce Willis as usual and I liked his wayward yet lovable character and he brought some much needed contour to otherwise quite flat performances. It is, what it is. The film was directed by Stephen Frears. Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth Raymer's years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting--a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the rise of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. The enduring friendship between the Walling and Ostroff families is tested when Nina, the prodigal Ostroff daughter, returns home for the holidays after a five-year absence and enters into an affair with David, head of the Walling family. Lay The Favorite Synopsis: Beth, who lap dances to make ends meet, leaves Florida for Las Vegas hoping to be a cocktail waitress. Cast and crew. Rebecca Hall Beth. A young woman named Holly, who lives at the same Vegas motel, arranges for Beth to meet Dink Heimowitz, a professional gambler who follows the fast-changing odds on sporting events and employs assistants at Dink, Inc., to lay big-money bets for him. Synopsis. In sports like horse racing, laying the favourite may be a more logical and profitable alternative than backing the favourite. Was this review helpful to you? Her character was flighty and silly, and it is nice to see such a story where horrible things didn't happen to her (lucky!) [2] She is hooked on the excitement and income that gambling provides and backs out suddenly whenever Dink, facing a heavy losing streak without his lucky charm, asks her to come back to work for him. Random House Films took the gambling memoir to Likely Story and Emmett/Furla Films to adapt the film. A hotshot poker player tries to win a tournament in Vegas, but is fighting a losing battle with his personal problems. The repercussions of his choice play out with a heavy gambler who has a parole officer, a cheesy bookmaker in Curaçao, Beth's desire to keep a friend out of prison, and help from an unlikely source. Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth’s years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting—a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the birth of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. Parents need to know that Lay the Favorite is an uneven, unappealing comedy based on a memoir about a woman who moves from stripping to working in the sports betting industry. Simple - save for Murphy's law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The cast is solid, though Hall's baby voice is grating, and there is enough story to make things watchable. In sports betting, to lay the favourite means to bet against the favourite in a race or competition. Directors. More. As films go - biopic aside - it's not that great as it wasn't particularly challenging or deep, and the main character's antics were naïve and rather silly, so you find her a little annoying, but she was plucky and from the point of view of the real person she did very well for herself. Lay the Favorite. As a result, from pressure from his wife, Dink lets Beth go. [3], While the film was received poorly at the box office, it was picked up for streaming by Netflix and Amazon Video. [1], The film received negative reviews from critics. A former stripper's (Rebecca Hall) talent with numbers lands her a job with a professional gambler (Bruce Willis) who runs a sports book in Las Vegas. Both want to be writers, but only one of them is successful. Whenever Dink's losing streak continues even with Beth's return, he has a meltdown and fires everyone in his office. Rating: Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Gambling is illegal in New York and Dink worries about Beth. Bruce Willis Dink. 7 of 13 people found this review helpful. "Lay the Favorite" follows unpredictable dreamer Beth as she goes from in-home stripper in Tallahassee to gambler's assistant in Las Vegas, working for Dink, one of the most successful sports gamblers in the business. Filming began in April 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rosie then sets up a legal operation based in Curaçao and Beth goes down to help run the betting. The odds would seem to favor “Lay the Favorite,” directed by Stephen Frears and based on Beth Raymer’s vivid, easygoing memoir of a surprisingly wholesome life of vice. [2] Wild Bunch was the film's international sales company. Lay The Favorite is a band consisting of the members SubFreqs & Christopher Clipp. Joshua Jackson Jeremy. Based on Beth Raymer's memoir of the same title, the film follows a young, free-spirited woman as she journeys through the legal and illegal world of sports gambling. As it stands, it’s content to aim squarely for the much-celebrated Indiewood middle, and falls short. What does lay the favourite mean? It holds an 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 51 reviews. When their computer hacker friend accidentally channels a mysterious wireless signal, a group of co-eds rally to stop a terrifying evil from taking over the world. 2012 93 minutes. They strong arm Greenberg and he gives them a hot tip on a New Jersey basketball team. Explore cast information, synopsis and more. News. 1 talking about this. [citation needed] The Weinstein Company purchased distribution rights at Sundance Film Festival for a fall 2012 release. Check out our gallery of the 2021 Oscar nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life. Based on a true story, LAY THE FAVORITE is a heartfelt comedy of finding friendship in the least likely places. Beth, who lap dances to make ends meet, leaves Florida for Las Vegas hoping to be a cocktail waitress. (2012). The Tulip and his wife Jill (Amanda Peet) spring into action. 2,722 likes. Vince Vaughn Rosie. Lay The Favorite. Ex-private dancer Beth aspires to be a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, when she falls in with Dink, a sports gambler. When Beth begins expressing a more personal interest in her much-older mentor, Dink's sharp-tongued wife, Tulip, lets it be known in no uncertain terms that she wants Beth out of her husband's life. Lay the Favorite (promoted as Lay the Favourite in the UK) is a 2012 American comedy-drama film starring Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson. Lay the Favorite Currently, we're in the studio working on our first album. She meets two women who introduce her to Dink, a gambler with a system. Watch Lay the Favorite available now on HBO. Adam Chitwood May 29, 2012. Years after he left Damascus under suspicious circumstances, Adib Abdel Kareem must confront what he left behind when his daughter goes missing. Based on Beth Raymer's memoir of the same title, the film follows a young, free-spirited woman as she journeys through the legal and illegal world of sports gambling. Posing as one of his temps, she enters into a game of online cat-and-mouse. Search for "Lay the Favorite" on Amazon.com, Title: Her dad, Jerry, tells her to follow her dream of moving to Las Vegas, where she seeks honest work as a cocktail waitress. . His lawsuit demanded either statutory damages or fair market value of the licensing fee for use of the map. Stephen Frears Stream on any device any time. Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth Raymer’s years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting—a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the rise of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. A Los Angeles detective seeks out the ruthless gang that stole his dog. At a Catholic high school, a sophomore newspaper reporter investigates a case of stolen SAT exams. Lay the Favorite (promoted as Lay the Favourite in the UK) is a 2012 American comedy-drama film starring Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson. A comedy of little consequence with an A-list cast, "Lay the Favorite" follows Rebecca Hall's protagonist into the world of mostly legal gambling where she finds Bruce Willis's numbers man, romance, and moral lessons. Rosie and his men are more interested in drugs and hookers and Beth wants out. Beth tries to entice Dink whose wife, Tulip, tells him to choose; he does and promptly goes on a losing streak. Lay The Favorite is a band consisting of the members SubFreqs & Christopher Clipp. It entertained for an hour or so but I'm glad I didn't see it at the cinema as I would have been disappointed as it wasn't as funny as I expected. Lay the Favorite is a 2012 American comedy film based on Beth Raymer's memoir of the same title. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. He hires her - she's good with numbers - and she promptly falls for him, even though he's married to a woman who seems to do nothing but spend his money. During the film I did wonder why everyone was so one-dimensional but as it's a true story, they were I suppose just going with the story that happened - some of the reactions people had were unexplained, as were Beth's seemingly easy transitions. Jimmy the Tulip's (Bruce Willis) quiet new life is shaken up by his old pal Oz (Matthew Perry), whose wife (Natasha Henstridge) has been kidnapped by a Hungarian mob. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Other than the language in this film (the worst of which is from the Welsh lips of Ms Zeta-Jones, almost unrecognisable as American, Tulip both in terms of look and character) it's pretty innocent, some topless sunbathing excepting. Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth’s years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting—a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the birth of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, brief drug use, and nudity, HBO Max Movies and TV Shows Streaming in February 2021, Bruce Willis Sports-Betting Flop 'Lay the Favorite' Sparks Lawsuit Over Map, Everything Coming to HBO Max in February 2021. The first trailer for Lay the Favorite, starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vince Vaughn. A young journalist from New York, Jeremy, meets Beth in the casino and they immediately hit it off and she makes plans to move back to New York with him, having nothing left in Las Vegas to keep her there. Having enough, Beth goes to New York to be with Jeremy but accepts a similar job for a rival bookie called Rosie. Movie Info. Use the HTML below. 3 women are sent to intercept a major drug deal at a diner at 3 AM and get the money. You cared enough about the characters that you did want a happy ending and it's nice that Beth's good personality and sunny disposition wins out and all is well. He thinks he's nailed the suspect and managed to get the popular girl when he realises a larger conspiracy is afoot. At Sundance 2012, Matt reviews Stephen Frears' Lay the Favorite starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Ex-private dancer Beth aspires to be a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, when she falls in with Dink, a sports gambler. 16. Lay the Favorite is obviously worse than it should be, but it’s also a thinner and more pallid experience than it would have been if it were a total catastrophe—if it had any ambition. Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth Raymer's years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting--a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the rise of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. The movie is a true story based on Beth Raymer's memoir who in real life goes to college and becomes a writer. Add to Wishlist. Dink and his wife Tulip come to New York to help out Beth and Jeremy. Lay the Favorite ( 2012) Lay the Favorite. The team wins in the last second by one point and everyone clears their gambling debts. Written by The pull of this film for me was the cast; Bruce Willis, Joshua Jackson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vince Vaughan... and that it looked a funny premise. Starring: Bruce Willis Rebecca Hall Catherine Zeta-Jones Vince Vaughn Joshua Jackson Lay the Favorite review. Ben and Alan, two misfit best friends incapable of growing up, find direction for their lives by taking in an abandoned child and creating the family they've always needed. Frivolous fun at best, archly affected tedium at worst, "Lay the Favorite" delivers a disappointing hand. At best, Lay The Favorite registers as cartoon sociology, but the film's featherweight charms dissipate whenever it moves away from the world of gambling and devotes time to go-nowhere subplots involving Hall's bland romance with Jackson, or Willis' troubled but fundamentally healthy marriage to … He hires her - she's good with numbers - and she promptly falls for him, even though he's married to a woman who seems to do nothing but spend his money. [citation needed] Shooting also took place in New Orleans, and New York City. Sparks fly as she proves to be something of a gambling prodigy--much to the ire of Dink's wife, Tulip. Beth, who lap dances to make ends meet, leaves Florida for Las Vegas hoping to be a cocktail waitress. Beth is becoming bored with her life in Florida, doing stripteases and lap dances for private customers. Beth tries to entice Dink whose wife, Tulip, tells him to choose; he does and promptly goes on a losing streak. I didn't realise it was based on a true story - the story of Beth (Beth Raymer) who leaves small town America to make a life for herself in the big city, bright lights of Vegas. But his new comedy, “Lay the Favorite,” is beyond the pale. Independent. As a result of this, mapmaker Victor Baker sued Warner Bros. as the film, which is set in the country of Curaçao, used one of Baker's antique-style watercolor maps of the country as part of the set decorations. She meets two women who introduce her to Dink, a gambler with a system. The repercussions of his choice play out with a heavy gambler who has a parole officer, a cheesy bookmaker in Curaçao, Beth's desire to keep a friend out of prison, and help from an unlikely source. Biographer John Lahr is writing a book about playwright Joe Orton. Lay the Favorite An ex-stripper with a knack for numbers goes to Vegas and is taken under the wing of a professional gambler in this sly caper. A New York gambler, Dave Greenberg, is in debt for sixty-thousand dollars and may be working for the Feds. Lay The Favorite. Catherine Zeta-Jones Tulip. At best, Lay The Favorite registers as cartoon sociology, but the film's featherweight charms dissipate whenever it moves away from the world of gambling and devotes time to go-nowhere subplots involving Hall's bland romance with Jackson, or Willis' troubled … If you’re not a betting man or woman, the title might lead you to believe the movie is about bedding the right one. [4], "Top 20 Movies That Lead to Lawsuits", WatchMojo.Com, available on, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "How Publishers Bolster Their Bottom Line by Retaining Film Rights", https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lay_the_favorite, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc8qsZnlTHo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lay_the_Favorite&oldid=1014922935, Articles needing additional references from June 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 March 2021, at 19:38. I always enjoy stories where girls build themselves up from nothing, doing whatever it takes and I liked Beth's outlook on life well played by Rebecca Hall light-heartedly and convincingly. A journalist goes undercover to ferret out businessman Harrison Hill as her childhood friend's killer. Lay the Favorite (2012) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. It's definitely an average, middle of the road standard film on all counts; screenplay, direction and performances but it's worth watching. Beth is intrigued and it turns out she has a good mind for numbers, easily grasping Dink's system and becoming his protégée and he views her as his lucky charm. View production, box office, & company info. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Additional information. Advertisement. She meets two women who introduce her to Dink, a gambler with a system. In New York City, a single mom captivates her new neighbor, a much younger man. Language is the strongest issue, with very frequent use of "f--k," "s--t," and other words. Vince Vaughan managed to be exactly who he usually is in films, and Laura Prepon as Holly had a good, small part character role which she did really well in.The film is about gambling so I didn't understand all that went on but there were moments where it was quite tense, given what was being done was illegal, but the end was predictable but as it's a true story why shouldn't it be? if so then you SHOULD consider laying it. Directors Stephen Frears . The gorgeous and talented Joshua Jackson was under-utilised in this film as an actor but seeing as it was a character-based biopic there's not much that could be done about that. Stephen Frears Director. The film was directed by Stephen Frears. Do NOT lay selections that are below 1. Joe and Kenneth meet at drama school and live together for ten years as lovers and collaborators. When sticking to the above you will have great success when laying horses, when also using a sensible staking plan BUT if you add the following few rules to the above then you will achieve even more success. Is your selection stepping up or stepping down in trip? You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Lay Betting on the Favorite Strategy Strategy: This strategy involves placing a lay bet on the match's favorite before the match begins, in pre-live, in the probabilities market. Sparks fly as she proves to be something of a gambling prodigy--much to the ire of Dink's wife, Tulip. The film was directed by Stephen Frears. New version of this page ( 2012 ) Lay the Favorite is a true story based on Beth Raymer memoir. & company lay the favorite voice is grating, and there is enough story to make ends,... View production, box office, & company info for sixty-thousand dollars and may be a more and. We 're in the least likely places as she proves to be writers, but one! 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