It’s been quite an interesting few years forKevin Costner. While he was arguably one of the most significant movie stars of his generation throughout the late 20th century, Costner’s star power began to diminish in the subsequent decade due to a series of critical and financial disappointments. It turned out a change of medium was all that Costner needed to once again find his audience. After The History Channel’s ambitious miniseriesHatfields & McCoysbecame a surprising breakout hit in 2012, Costner was later cast inYellowstone, a series that would redefine both his career and the neo-Western genre. WhileYellowstone became Costner’s most defining project in the later half of his career,Costner briefly returned to cinema to deliver an extraordinary supporting performance in the Academy Award-nominated biopicMolly’s Game.
Molly’s Gameserved as the directorial debut of the award-winning screenwriterAaron Sorkin, whose impressive resume includes such classics asA Few Good Men, The American President, The Social Network,andMoneyball. While Sorkin certainly showed some flourish of style within his debut feature,Molly’s Gameis largely reliant on the snappy, clever dialogue that Sorkin came to popularize during his work onThe West Wing.Molly’s Gameis a relentlesslyentertaining depiction of a wild true story, butCostner added a level of emotional nuance that madeMolly’s Gamefar more powerful.
Molly’s Game
Who Does Kevin Costner Play in ‘Molly’s Game’?
Molly’s Gametells the incredible true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a renowned skier with ambitions to become an Olympic champion. Unfortunately, a severe injury during the training for the 2002 Olympic Games forces her to radically change her intended goals and seek out new career opportunities.Costner appears in the supporting role of Molly’s father, Larry, a celebrated clinical psychologist who supported her Olympic path, and the film suggests that the two had a falling out in the aftermath of Molly’s accident. Molly can’t help but blame her father for pushing her too hard when she was younger, and assumes that he blocked her out of his life upon realizing that she would never truly be a champion. Molly is also aware that her father had several affairs, suggesting to her thathis statements about “family values”are nothing but lies.
Costner’s shadow looms over Chastain’s performance as the film details Molly’s rise to power.While she may not have the physicality to compete in the Olympic Games anymore, Molly is still fiercely intelligent and knows how to read people. The film chronicles how Molly creates a powerful underground poker tournament, which attracts powerful figures such as Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business tycoons, and even a fewmembers of the international mafia. While the film suggests that Molly has always been prone to pushing boundaries, the flashbacks involving Costner indicate that she is trying to defy the man that she felt “betrayed” her when she was at her most vulnerable.
Costner’s appearance in the third act ofMolly’s Gamemarks a significant change of pace in the film.As with all of Sorkin’s projects,Molly’s Gamespares no expense when it comes to pacing, as it seems to constantly switch between Molly’s different schemes as she attempts to avoid paying any consequences. However, the pace comes to a grinding halt when she is awaiting trial in New York with her lawyer, Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba).Costner appears when Molly is at her most vulnerable; it wasa great way to maximize his starpower during a point where the film could have become too dull.
‘Molly’s Game’ Doesn’t Work Without Kevin Costner
Costner delivers a powerful speech that changes the context of Molly’s journey.While Molly has spent her entire life trying to prove herself to a man she thought hated her, Larry reveals that he was only hard on her because he believed in her. He only sought to cut her out of his life upon realizing she was aware of his affairs, which made him ashamed to serve as a role model. Costner is often not given enough credit for how subtle he can be as a performer, but his monologue inMolly’s Gameshows how powerful he can be when he is being understated. Like Molly, Larry is a rather prickly and awkward character, however, that doesn’t mean that he still doesn’t love her, and wants to support her when she is at her lowest.
Costner helped takeMolly’s Gamein a more heartfelt directionthat made it easier to invest in Molly during the subsequent trial scenes. After nearly two hours of highly technical jargon regarding poker financials and the minutia of legal practices, it was refreshing to hear an entirely earnest speech from an earnest family man. Costner has appeared in some of the greatest “dad movies” of all time,such asA Perfect WorldandField of Dreams, but it was nice to see him take on the role of a more flawed paternal figure who nonetheless gives Molly the words of support she needed to hear. It was a risky gamble to take a strong female character like Molly and reduce her motivation to nothing more than “daddy issues;” however, the sincere chemistry Chastain and Costner share makes the scene work way better than it would have otherwise.
Kevin Costner Is Underrated as a Supporting Actor
Although he gained prominence in the early stages of his career as one of the most popular leading men on the planet,Costner has taken on several compelling supporting roles in the last decade.Whether it’s his subversive take on Pa Kent inMan of Steel,his engaging mentor inJack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,or another caring paternal figure inHidden Figures, Costner has shown that he can still leave a memorable impact on a film if he’s only in it for a limited capacity.
Molly’s Gameis streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
Watch on Netflix
