Two For The Money

Let's see. It's a movie about college football gambling. It stars Al Pacino as a crusty old handicapper and Matthew McConaughey as his upstart protégé. Why isn't Two For The Money better? For starters, Pacino gives the same hoarse, phoned-in performance he's been doing for the last decade, and a shirtless, oiled-up McConaughey pumps iron throughout the film. (You know, because guys really like that!) Still Two For the Money is a pulpy good time about a former football star (McConaughey) whose weekly picks are featured on an ESPN-style series fronted by his new father figure (Pacino). After the two get close, business goes south, and the rest of the movie is a who's-conning-who drama along the same lines as Glengarry Glen Ross or The Color Of Money. Only not as good—in fact, not even close. When he's fully clothed, it's fairly entertaining watching McConaughey get constantly upstaged by Pacino, but at $10 a ticket, Two For The Money isn't the best bet at the local multiplex—especially when you can parlay that into a $2 DVD rental in about three weeks.