DVD: The Bet
Submitted by Blaise on Sat, 2008-05-03 01:15.
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DVD Reviewed by Blaise
Starring: Matthew Newton, Aden Young, Sibylla Budd
Q: What happens when you mix the directing abilities of a star of Gallipoli and the acting abilities of a son of a national icon?
A: The Bet
Directed by Mark Lee and starring Matthew Newton, The Bet is a fast-paced corporate thriller that packs quite a punch. Newton stars as Will, a highly motivated young stockbroker, who enters a bet with Angus (Aden Young) to see who can make the most money out of a $50,000 investment.
The storyline of a young hot shot trying to prove his worth is of course an age-old story. Perhaps the two most similar films to this enjoyable Aussie outing are Oliver Stone’s Wall Street and the Matthew McConaughey vehicle, Two For The Money. In the latter film, McConaughey plays a hotshot sports better, who risks it all to prove his worth. Of course it is Wall Street that The Bet is most indebted too. Like Charlie Sheen’s character, Newton’s Will is willing to sell his soul for the mighty dollar. As the tension mounts, Will becomes more and more self-consumed and spirals out of control.
Although The Bet is clearly never going to be a Wall Street, the main performances, including the always-wonderful Sibylla Budd (Secret Life Of Us), are strong. Sure, there are some narrative holes, but in sum, this is an enjoyable ride.
