The Card Counter is a crime drama film that follows William 'Tell' Tillich, an ex-military interrogator turned gambler who spends his days at various casinos until he is approached by Cirk, who is on a path to revenge relating to his fathers false imprisonment.
'The Card Counter' opens with Tell, as he recounts his time in prison, where he learned to count cards. Now free, he spends his days going from casino to casino, betting small and winning modestly, so as not to attract the attention of bouncers and casino management. Never staying at casino hotels, Tell moves from one motel to another, living out of two suitcases, removing any decor and covering the furniture with plain sheets secured with twine. At a casino Tell encounters La Linda, a contact in the gambling world, who runs a stable; - a group of investors who financially back gamblers for a share of their winnings. La Lind offers to stake Tell, but he refuses, unwilling to take on the responsibility.
In Atlantic City, Tell slips into a security-industry seminar being held at a casino, sitting in on a seminar held by retired Major John Gordo. On his way out, he is recognized and stopped by Cirk Baufort, who hands him his contact information. After a nightmare about torture in a prison, Tell decides to call Cirk. The two meet, and Cirk reveals he knows who Tell is, namely PFC William Tillich - a soldier who was tried and sentenced for his part in the Abu Ghraib torture and prison abuse. Cirk goes on to say that his father, Rodger Baufort was also there, and dishonourably discharged, served time and led to drug abuse and made him abusive, making his wife, and Cirk's mother leave the family, with Rodger eventually committing suicide. Gordo was Tillich and Baufort's superior who trained them in enhanced interrogation techniques, but never faced any charges, as he was involved as a 'civilian consultant'. Cirk holds Gordo responsible for what happened to his family, planning to capture, torture and kill Gordo, and is seeking Tell's help. Tell refuses, but offers to take Cirk with him as he gambles in order to help the young man avoid a life of revenge and violence.
On their next stop, Tell calls with La Linda, telling her he is interested in an arrangement. He informs her of his desire to go to the World Series of Poker tour in order to help Cirk cover his debts and start a new life, after which Tell will retire. During early WSOP matches, Tell makes money but loses to 'Mr. USA', an obnoxious Ukrainian poker player who has taken on a jingoistic American persona. Tell continues making money, and as he tours, he connects more with Cirk whilst also developing feelings for La Linda, but avoids getting too close to her.
At Panama City, during a qualifying round Cirk informs Tell he still plans to kill Gordo. Tell takes Cirk to his motel room and confronts him with a brutal interrogator persona. Tell offers Cirk $150,000 from his gambling winnings, proposing that Cirk pay off his and his mother's debts and return to college. Tell insists Cirk forget about killing Gordo and return to his mother in Oregon, threatening violence if he does not do so. Cirk leaves with the money. Afterwards, Tell begins a relationship with La Linda, and advances to the final table of the WSOP. On a break from the game, Tell receives a message from Cirk, revealing that he has gone to confront Gordo. Unsettled, Tell suddenly walks off from the final match and sees a news report showing that Gordo had killed a home intruder - Cirk.
Tell drives to Gordo's house, covers the furniture as he does in his motel rooms, and waits for Gordo to return home. Greeting him at gunpoint, Tell reveals to Gordo who he is and why he is there. Instead of shooting him, Tell takes Gordo into another room for a 'dramatic re-enactment' of their time in Abu Ghraib. Both can be heard screaming in agony, until Tell emerges from the room, severely wounded. He calls the police to report a homicide. Tell is incarcerated at the same military prison as before, accepting his circumstances as he feels it is what he deserves. La Linda arrives for a visit and the two reach out to each other, holding a single finger up to the glass separating them.
'The Card Counter' is an intense crime drama that follows the protagonist as he is freed from prison, yet unable to reconcile his past. Tell is presented as having been deeply disturbed by the events of his past, and over the course of the film, it is revealed that his time spent in the military, as an interrogator, was not purely him submitting to the orders handed down to him by his superiors. The conflict within the character stems from Tell being assigned to interrogate prisoners with brutal disregard for any moral norms and in violation of basic rights afforded to individuals. As the character later reveals to Cirk - he was good at what he did, and the subsequent flashbacks show Tell carrying out his orders with glee. Throughout the course of the film, Tell is shown being troubled by his past, and even though he had been shown enjoying carrying out his tasks, Tell now feels remorse, shame and guilt for his actions, clearly stating that there is no excuse for what he did.
Though writing a journal, Tell recounts his past and innermost thoughts, helping the viewer understand the weight of the burden that is his past. Each passage serves to provide a deeper insight into the damage that his time in the military has done to him, scarring the individual for life. By introducing Cirk, Tell is shown to want to make amends, leading us to believe that he feels guilt and remorse for what he has done, and attempts to rectify it through giving Cirk a chance at a fresh start. Tell's relationship with La Lind further serves to illustrate that Tell is trying to move past his prior actions, by trying to connect with another person, first by forgiving himself and proceeding to seek acceptance in others. Eventually, Tell's attempts at trying to move past his misdoings are thwarted by Cirk's choice to confront Gordo. The way in which the situation unfolds, resulting in Cirk's death, unsettles Tell, as he realises his attempt at trying to help Cirk with the best intentions in mind were undercut by Cirk's goals, and he submits to re-incarceration, accepting that as his faith. The film presents Tell as a complicated individual, trying to do right by Cirk and seeing it as an opportunity both for him and Cirk to do better in going forward. However, Tell overplays his hand in believing that he can sway Cirk and change his mind about revenge, underestimating the underlying pain that the young man still feels.
Oscar Isaac portrays William 'Tell' Tillich, delivering a character who is haunted by his past but tries to find a new way forward through helping Cirk. Isaac delivers a strong performance in portraying Tell as someone who is deeply haunted by his past, providing an intense feeling of constantly being burdened by his misdeeds, as Tell appears unable to experience joy. The character is shown enjoying a routine to his days, a solitary lifestyle, until he finds the strength to open up and form a connection with Cirk and La Linda. Through fine and subtle changes, Isaac masterfully transitions to a somewhat muted, yet noticeable change in Tell as he begins to let others closer, displaying great command over subtle yet affecting shifts in the characters personality.
The film is written and directed by Paul Schrader, and the creator has delivered a characteristically intense feature, focusing on a troubled protagonist attempting to reconcile his past. Unlike his other works, 'The Card Counter' strays from the beaten path in exploring a self-destructive individual, focusing more on rectification and attempts of resolution from the main character as he tries to do better and hopes to help Cirk start fresh as well, knowing that violence begets violence. Perhaps subconsciously however, the character is eventually unable to move on, and he accepts a life behind bars, acknowledging that his past actions cannot be excused. Surprisingly however, the main character's story does conclude on a somewhat hopeful note, as Tell is visited by La Linda, showing that even with his dark past, he is afforded a degree of happiness.
'The Card Counter' is an intense and captivating drama, that delivers a complicated and broken main character and explores the deeply intricate and complicated emotions that Tell is experiencing as he goes on a journey of reconciliation an attempts to move past his crimes. The film serves well to show how a troubled individual can strive towards a better future, yet eventually succumb to accepting what he believes is just and appropriate for him. With stellar performances from the entire cast and excellent writing, 'The Card Counter' is a serious and absorbing feature that tells a simple story of redemption, yet creates a distinctive and palpable atmosphere, creating a lasting impact on the viewer.
Score: 4/4
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