House of Games – Review

Psychiatrist Dr. Margaret Ford (Crouse) has recently published a book titled Driven, which is about obsessive-compulsive disorder. A woman notices her in public and rushes over for an autograph. Despite the kind words from this woman, Ford looks to move on with her day quickly. As she sees her patients, they give their money’s worth of troubles. Despite helping people therapeutically and publishing best sellers, Margaret is underwhelmed with life.

As a curve ball hits her life from a patient named Billy Hahn, a compulsive gambler, disarray enters the picture. He pulls out a gun, worried that he has to use it. Billy is facing pressure from a criminal named Mike Mancuso (Mantegna). Margaret’s world of therapy is about to collide with a dark world of gambling, guns and more, all of which she is ill prepared for.

In the House of Games pool hall, there are schemes and troubles galore. Come find out who can hold their own in the conniving world of poker, money, crime, power, ploys and confidence.

House of Games is a fairly sharp script from a great writer who also stepped into the director’s chair for the first time with this film. The story is engaging and interesting, while giving the viewer plenty to wonder about. It tiptoes into a dark world, bringing us along and showing delivering an enthralling plot. Not all is what it seems, which is for the best.

Well-acted and full of strong dialogue, House of Games is an intelligent thriller. In general, the story is enough to keep things stimulating through the end, and its focal points are satisfying. It is short enough and pacing is not an issue, so hit the backrooms for some high stakes showdowns, and you might learn a thing or two.

Aren’t you a caution.