Two for the Money (2005)

Director:

D.J. Caruso

Writer (WGA):

Dan Gilroy (written by)

Release Date:

7 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport | Thriller

Plot:

After suffering a career-ending injury, a former college football star aligns himself with one of the most renowned touts in the sports-gambling business.

Plot Keywords:

Football | Injury | Quarterback | College Football | Gambling

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Walter Abrams
Matthew McConaughey	...	Brandon Lang
Rene Russo	...	Toni Morrow
Armand Assante	...	Novian
Jeremy Piven	...	Jerry
Jaime King	...	Alexandria
Kevin Chapman	...	Southie
Ralph Garman	...	Reggie
Gedde Watanabe	...	Milton
Carly Pope	...	Tammy
Charles Carroll	...	Chuck
Gerard Plunkett	...	Herbie
Craig Veroni	...	Amir
James Kirk	...	Denny
Chrislyn Austin	...	Julia
Denise Galik	...	Brandon's Mom
Gary Hudson	...	Brandon's Dad
Jeremy Guilbaut	...	Mitch
Steve Makaj	...	Coach
Stephen Dimopoulos	...	Steve
Michael Rogers	...	Stu
William S. Taylor	...	Leon
Veena Sood	...	G.A. Hostess
Adrian Holmes	...	G.A. Member #2
Trevor Roberts	...	G.A. Member #3
Michael P. Northey	...	G.A. Member #4
Brad Kelly	...	Novian's Bodyguard
Jason Schombing	...	Mercedes Dealer
Louis Mustillo	...	Doorman
Luciana Carro	...	Gail
Kendall Cross	...	Make-Up Artist
David Lovgren	...	TV Technician
Malcolm Scott	...	Man in Window
J.B. McEown	...	Teammate
Robin Mossley	...	Waiter at Restaurant
Raimund Stamm	...	Man #1 at Restaurant
Jonathan Bruce	...	Man #2 at Restaurant
Barry LeBrock	...	TV Announcer
Joel Myers	...	TV Announcer
Ron Pitts	...	TV Announcer
Jim Rome	...	Himself
Trevor Babers	...	Football Player
Gene Bolton	...	Football Player
Jarrod Bunch	...	Football Player
John Clark Jr.	...	Football Player
Dustin Dennard	...	Football Player
Stefan Gamlin	...	Football Player
Derek Graf	...	Football Player
Cedric Jefferson	...	Football Player
Mike Jones	...	Football Player
Tyrone Jones Jr.	...	Football Player
Horace Knight	...	Football Player
Ty Law	...	Football Player
Marques Massengale	...	Football Player
O.J. McClintock	...	Football Player
Dewayne Patmon	...	Football Player
Kevin Reid	...	Football Player
Justin Riemer	...	Football Player
Chris Robbins	...	Football Player
Mazio Royster	...	Football Player (as Maxio Royster)
Jeff Sanders	...	Football Player (as Jeffrey Sanders)
Jeffrey Sanders	...	Football Player
Brandon Tully	...	Football Player
Zach Wilson	...	Football Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chooch Paglaro	...	Tv studio stage manager
Ildiko Ferenczi	...	Friend (uncredited)
Josh Hayden	...	Young Football Player (uncredited)
David C. Robinson	...	Man walking by traffic light (uncredited)
Joel Ross	...	Bartender (uncredited)
April Telek	...	Young Woman (unconfirmed) (uncredited)
Susan Ward	...	Girl in sportscar (uncredited)
Jackson Warris	...	Young Brandon at 7 (uncredited)
Tyler James Williams	...	Guest at Party (uncredited)

Directed by
D.J. Caruso

Writing credits (WGA)
Dan Gilroy		(written by)

Produced by
Jay Cohen	....	producer
James M. Freitag	....	associate producer
Dan Gilroy	....	executive producer
Billy Higgins	....	line producer: NY
Guy McElwaine	....	executive producer
Wayne Morris	....	co-producer
David C. Robinson	....	executive producer
James G. Robinson	....	producer
Rene Russo	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christophe Beck

Cinematography by
Conrad W. Hall

Film Editing by
Glen Scantlebury

Casting by
Sean Cossey
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Tom Southwell

Art Direction by
William Heslup
Nicholas Lundy

Set Decoration by
Mary-Lou Storey

Costume Design by
Marie-Sylvie Deveau

Makeup Department
Emanuela Daus	....	key makeup artist: second unit
Emanuela Daus	....	makeup artist
Agnieszka Echallier	....	project supervisor (as Agnieszka Kolakowska)
Joel Echallier	....	special makeup effects designer
Norma Hill-Patton	....	makeup department head
Lisa Leonard	....	key hair stylist: second unit
Thom MacIntyre	....	key hair stylist (as Thomas McIntyre)
Laini Reeves	....	personal hair stylist: Rene Russo
Sanna Seppanen	....	hair designer
Sanna Seppanen	....	key hair stylist: second unit
Adina Shore	....	assistant hair stylist
Diana Sikes	....	hair stylist: unit
Margaret Yaworski	....	key makeup artist
Margaret Yaworski	....	key makeup artist: second unit

Production Management
Dan Genetti	....	post-production supervisor
George A. Grieve	....	unit production manager
Aaron Rattner	....	unit manager
Ethan Smith	....	production supervisor: New York

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Misha Bukowski	....	key third assistant director
Steve Eathorne	....	second assistant director: second unit
James M. Freitag	....	first assistant director
Allan Graf	....	second unit director
Jason Ivey	....	second second assistant director
David Klohn	....	second assistant director
Megan M. Shank	....	third assistant director
Peter Soldo	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ea Birkett	....	assistant property master
Philip Canfield	....	leadman
Gerri Crawford	....	property master
Andrew Emde	....	assistant art director
Michelle Gasque	....	art coordinator
Salmon Harris	....	storyboard artist
Sally Hudson	....	graphic designer
Tom Jung	....	storyboard artist
Derick McLeod	....	construction coordinator
Tanya A. Nordhoff	....	set buyer
Ian P. OBriain	....	assistant set decorator
Kenneth Panzer	....	lead set dresser
Chris Rae	....	lead carpenter
Steve Reintjes	....	paint foreman
Michael Toby	....	model maker
Sean Will	....	scenic painter
Kay Yamanaka	....	stand-by painter
Milena Zdravkovic	....	set designer

Sound Department
Elliot Anders	....	voiceover recording engineer
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Michael Colomby	....	sound re-recording mixer: extended edition
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nerses Gezalyan	....	sound mixer
David Husby	....	production sound mixer
Daniel S. Irwin	....	adr & dialogue editor
Bret Johns	....	additional sound
Kenneth L. Johnson	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Keller	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randy Kelley	....	sound editor
Larry Kemp	....	sound editor
Daryl Lathrop	....	adr recordist
Brian Miksis	....	sound mixer: New York
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Charles O'Shea	....	boom operator
Michael Primmer	....	boom operator: New York
Karen Schell	....	sound
Christopher Sidor	....	sound re-recordist
Matthew Sordello	....	sound
Mark P. Stoeckinger	....	supervising sound editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Lisa Varetakis	....	adr editor
Lisa Varetakis	....	dialogue editor
Tim Walston	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Dan Cervin	....	special effects first assistant
Joel Whist	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
David Beedon	....	digital effects artist: Morgan Creek
Corey Bramall	....	digital artist
Christopher Lance	....	digital artist
Tom Mahoney	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator: New York (as George Aguilar)
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts (as Billy Anagnos)
George B. Colucci	....	stunts (as George Collucci)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunt coordinator: football unit
Derek Graf	....	stunts
Mark Norby	....	stunt double: Matthew McConaughey
Janet Paparazzo	....	stunts
Stephen A. Pope	....	stunts
Kevin Reid	....	stunt double: Matthew McConaughey
Danny Virtue	....	stunt coordinator: Canada
Trevor Richardson	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Brady	....	lighting technician
Dean Collins	....	key rigging grip
David Crone	....	camera operator
Drew Davidson	....	gaffer
Ken Decker	....	generator operator
Enrique del Rio	....	camera loader
Shane Dobie	....	best boy lighting
David Goyer	....	generator operator
Sean M. Harding	....	first assistant camera
Patrick Hogue	....	camera trainee
Amy Albano Jachyra	....	camera loader: New York
Simon Jori	....	first assistant camera
Dave Joshi	....	digital video assist operator
Koji Kojima	....	first assistant camera: pickup unit
T. Michael McLean	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Saubrie Mohamed	....	gaffer
Ryan Monro	....	dolly grip
Rod Newby	....	rigging gaffer: second unit
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, New York
Kim Olsen	....	key grip
Sean Oxenbury	....	dimmer board operator
Chooch Paglaro	....	video engineer
Macall B. Polay	....	still photographer: New York
Kyle Rudolph	....	Steadicam operator
Bob Scott	....	director of photography: second unit
Steve Sherlock	....	leadman grip
Troy James Sobotka	....	dolly operator: "b" camera
Timothy Robin Spencer	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Roger Wells	....	rigging best boy
Tyler Woeste	....	second assistant camera
Keith Woods	....	rigging gaffer
Daniel Feighery	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
David Kohler	....	lamp operator (uncredited)
Eric G. Petersen	....	gaffer: Las Vegas (uncredited)
James Scutakes	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sig De Miguel	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Isabel Bloor	....	costume set supervisor
Delia Hauser	....	wardrobe production assistant
Anthea Mallinson	....	costume breakdown/dyer
Helen Monaghan	....	costume liaison: USA
Heather Rupert	....	costume breakdown/dyer
Michelle Elaine Teague	....	key set costumer: New York

Editorial Department
Michele Nieves	....	post-production assistant
Mark Rathaus	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Adam Blau	....	score coordinator
Fernand Bos	....	music editor
Sean Dougall	....	orchestrator
Chris Fogel	....	music scoring mixer
Peter Fuchs	....	music recording engineer
John Houlihan	....	music supervisor
Season Kent	....	music coordinator
Andre LaFosse	....	musician: guitar loops
Stephen Lotwis	....	music editor: temp
Casey Stone	....	music recording engineer
Allan Wilson	....	conductor
Brian Yaskulka	....	music composer: songs
Brian Yaskulka	....	music producer: song
Brian Yaskulka	....	musician

Other crew
Anton Agerbo	....	production assistant
Evan Allen	....	production assistant
Brian Bergdoll	....	stand-in: Al Pacino
Hamish Berry	....	accounting assistant
Jackie Bissley	....	unit publicist
Howard Blank	....	technical advisor
Susan Bradley	....	title designer
Jenn Bubka	....	set production assistant: New York
Max A. Butler	....	office production assistant: New York
Charlene Callihoo	....	assistant accountant
Nancy Carrow	....	production coordinator
John C. Chaney	....	assistant: Matthew McConaughey (as John Chaney)
Lou Crisa	....	assistant: Al Pacino
Sean Cummings	....	office production assistant
Ian Doig	....	animal coordinator
Ken Friss	....	script supervisor: football unit
Damon Michael Gordon	....	assistant location manager
Allan Graf	....	football coordinator
Sean Grant	....	assistant location manager
Victoria James	....	clearance coordinator
Ashley Kravitz	....	clearance supervisor
Tom J. Lawson	....	production assistant
Shane Lennox	....	key production assistant
Grace MacLeod	....	animal trainer
Gwen MacQueen	....	accounting clerk
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
Steve McAuliff	....	elephant wrangler (as Steve McCauliff)
Cameron Morris	....	production assistant
Janet D. Munro	....	script supervisor
Len Murach	....	location manager
Sean Murray	....	production assistant: New York
Geoff Nathanson	....	announcer
Meegan Neeb	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Lenore Nemani	....	location scout
Maire Ni Rochain	....	production coordinator: New York
Bonny Northcott	....	production assistant
Chooch Paglaro	....	teleprompter operator
Dixie Plaxton	....	location scout
Selena Scheirer	....	key office production assistant
Heide Schwartz	....	assistant: Rene Russo
David Tamkin	....	trainee assistant location manager
Carrie Van Hoy	....	assistant: D.J. Caruso
Ryf Van Rij	....	stand-in: Matthew McConaughey
Kyle Villegas	....	production secretary: New York
Janet M. West	....	assistant: James G. Robinson (as Janet West)
Wade Whitman	....	key assistant location manager
Mike Witherington	....	production assistant
Michael C. Young	....	location manager
Maja Zdanowski	....	set production assistant
Ian Zweig	....	personal chef
Liz Williams	....	production intern (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Cosmic Entertainment
• Morgan Creek Productions

Distributors

• Independent Films (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Mars Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Net5 (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Paradise Group (2005) (Russia) (all media)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• SFX Studio (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• EFilm  digital intermediate: some scenes (uncredited)
• Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra  music performed by
• Sportsrobe  costumes
• Video Split Productions  video assist equipment (second unit)

Also Known As:

For the Money (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, a scene of sexuality and a violent act.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Norway:11 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | Hungary:16 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | South Korea:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

55th Street & 5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Rene Russo's husband, Dan Gilroy, wrote the part of Al Pacino's wife Toni especially for Russo and tailored it to fit her perfectly. He even used Russo's real-life sister's name Toni as the name of the character.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the big game, Super Forty, the graphic on the screen says "1st and 15," but the sportscaster announces before the snap that it is 2nd and 15.

Quotes:

Walter Abrams: Know what you know, and know what you don't know. And know that I gotta know everything you know as soon as you know it... or sooner

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Two for the Money' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

All in All

A sampling of the ugliness of the sports gambling life ensues...

Networks can't talk about it. The government can't tax it. Yet sports betting is a $200 billion a year business. A business that strives to exploit every vulnerability, manipulate every gullibility, and convince the client that it can provide them certainty in an uncertain world.

Two for the Money is the story of one man's journey into the sports gambling world. Matthew McConaughey delivers one of his more impressive performances as he transforms from Brandon Lang, the smooth-talking golden boy, into John Anthony - "The Million Dollar Man with the Billion Dollar Plan." A transformation that comes complete with a new suit, a new car, a new attitude, and slicked back hair - a sure-fire movie sign that corruption or a loss of innocence is imminent.

Portraying a character that must deal with this corruption of innocence, McConaughey demonstrates that he can act with more than just his dimples and down-home Southern charm. Lang is a machine. He knows the teams, the leagues, the players, the game. All he does is work out and pick winners, two facts made abundantly clear by McConaughey's propensity to walk around shirtless just as often as he makes football picks. I may have rolled my eyes once or twice, but I heard nary a complaint from the ladies in the audience. Except for that one that looked a little like my Uncle Larry.

Lang's corruption rests solely on the fragile shoulders of Walter Abrams, a sleazy character played so effortlessly by Al Pacino that you can't help but feel slightly disturbed by the ease with which he seems capable of tainting ambitious young men. Screaming less than usual, Pacino's portrayal is nothing short of an indictment of those sports advisors who feed on the weak. Sports gambling may be illegal in 46 states, but Abrams is well aware that "sports advising" (the politically correct preference, no doubt) is not. Despite the false promise of certainty, sports advising is presented as more used car salesmanship than mathematical study. Figure out your client's needs, and get his money. That's the name of the game. As for actually picking a winner? It's 50-50. A flip of the coin.

Sure, Lang is able to compile a pretty impressive hot streak, but what happens when it comes to a crashing halt? The peaks are indeed very high when the fun and money are flowing, but is it worth the lesson learned when your family is threatened and you're hit with the realization of what losing $380,000 can do to a family?

Ultimately, the movie would have proved more effective if there had been a greater emphasis on the devastation of the lows of losing. Consequences are touched but never fully realized. I would have also liked less predictability in a movie about a very unpredictable lifestyle, but Two for the Money still succeeds in giving the audience a glimpse of what gets in the minds of those willing to gamble. Is it about the game? Is it about the money? Or, as Abrams believes, is it about the risk some people are willing to take to feel what they perceive as being alive?

The dialogue and character interaction happen at a quick enough pace to grab and seal your attention, and while the last act is somewhat weighed down by the two-hour runtime and the semi-sappy melodrama of plans gone awry, Money still manages to convince the audience to care about whether or not Brandon can get back to where he began - the purity of the game.

You want certainty in an uncertain world? Then put your money on obligatory shirtless Matthew McConaughey scenes and Pacino's incisors getting a nice scene-chewing workout. It's a safer bet than trusting your money with the decision-making of those who care more about the profit than they do about you.

THE GIST

Two for the Money will prove to be most enjoyable to those with some familiarity or interest with sports and the gambling side of the business. But McConaughey and Pacino deliver enough laughs and energy to make this more accessible to those with little knowledge of the subject matter. If you have your doubts about this one then don't worry about spending the big bucks to see it on the big screen - it'll make for a good rental.