Boring

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Ex-private dancer Beth aspires to be a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, when she falls in with Dink, a sports gambler. Sparks fly as she proves to be something of a gambling prodigy--much to the ire of Dink's wife, Tulip. Lay the Favorite is probably one of the few good movies that Bruce Willis has done in the last few years plus it was actually entertaining and funny unlike some of his other stupid movies and the acting was actually pretty good and Rebecca Hall looked really beautiful in this movie. Overall please give it a fair share of chance it's not bad.

I think the first time I saw this film I was so shocked by Catherine Zeta-Jones (I was as smitten by my first glimpse of the most beautiful woman in the world, in Zorro, as Michael Douglas, but he had the edge) that I failed to appreciate its qualities. Last night I watched it again and found it a delightful comedy, with some terrific acting, notably from former Roedean head girl and stage actress Rebecca Hall as a ditsy American blonde looking for a better life and Catherine as a sharp manipulator defending her territory. Beth is never as dumb as she seems (she never told her daddy how she was earning the money to get her through college), as it's mainly charming naivete that takes her bouncing from situation to situation, always reacting and never in control. The audience think they know where this is going when she decides to give up her small town life and head for the glitter of the Vegas strip. But it turns out she is actually rather good with letters and numbers, as well as possessing a rare and very precious quality - she can be trusted. Bruce Willis is volatile, but kindly to those he thinks deserve it (and even some who don't) and he thinks beth deserves it. His jealous wife Catherine is the only one who doesn't trust her and just as everything seems to be going well she delivers her ultimatum to her devoted hubby. But Beth bounces back, meeting a genuinely nice honest guy who falls in love with her and wants to take her back to NY with him. Of course life isn't that neat and tidy, but she ends up there eventually and falls in with Vince Vaughn, a high roller who talks big but doesn't back it up with the required professionalism. But Beth's qualities overcome that defect until a tricksy client threatens to denounce them, including her boyfriend, who only helped out of love for her, to the Feds. At that point, Beth has to call in the goodwill credits she has accumulated, and even Catherine rallies round to help her. With that support, Beth suddenly discovers her own inner strength and force of character and takes control of the situation, and we know she's going to be okay from now on. It's a true story that gives a warm glow, as well as providing a lot of laughs along the way. The only reason I don't rate this film higher is because there is a lot of information on betting that flies completely over my head (since I learned as a teen that it's a mugs game), so although the audience knows enough to know they've got a lot of money riding on multiple events across multiple fields (the Bruce Willis character is smart enough to keep out of the stock market, because he knows it's rigged!), it's hard to get involved in the clips of those events, only their reactions to them. Nevertheless, it's a film I recommend for a good laugh, as long as you leave all preconcieved notions of what you expect from Rebecca, Catherine and Bruce at the door.

I was dumbfounded when I read that Rebecca Hall was the daughter of Sir Peter Hall, and his former American wife. She carries this movie brilliantly, wearing tight, tiny shorts throughout. Her enthusiasm is infectious and her affection for Dink (Bruce Willis) utterly credible. The whole gambling scenario is educative and astonishing, and Rebecca's career in it completely credible. I'd do gambling if I had half a million to start with: reckon I could double it before long. Particularly I'd hire women like Rebecca Hall to participate in my operation. I'd make sure they all wore short-shorts the way she does. And they'd all have to have long slim legs like hers. All hail to Rebecca Hall for pulling off this great picture with such brio and style. See this movie next!

Probably the worst movie I have ever seen.... Only finished it 'cause we paid for it. Zero fluidity, very poor storyline... Full of holes, hard to follow, cheesy boring script. Attempts to include moral life lessons and love stories were entirely unsuccessful . R. Hall was horrendous - trying to mix-up her ditsy slut role by adding a bit of drama to her acting did NOT work. We chose this movie based on Bruce Willis ' and Catherine Zeta Jones' involvement . It is shocking they were willing to associate themselves with this film. They were OK in their roles with what they had to work with .... Crap. Do not watch this movie. Life is too short.