Whether it is as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather or as Walter Hobbs in the Christmas classic Elf, the late, great James Caan has delivered countless iconic performances. In 1974, he reprised his performance as Sonny in a cameo role in The Godfather: Part II, one of three performances he is credited with in that year. Alongside starring as Freebie in the buddy cop black comedy Freebie and the Bean, Caan dazzled audiences as literature professor and gambling addict Axel Freed in The Gambler, based on the novel of the same name by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
As did many other iconic action thrillers from a similar time, The Gambler became the latest of its kind to catch the attention of Hollywood execs in the 2010s, with a remake eventually being released in 2014. Directed by Rupert Wyatt, best known for the 2011 blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the remake starred Mark Wahlberg in one of his most surprising performances of the decade, as Jim Bennett, a fill-in for Caan’s Axel Freed.
Sadly, the movie faced a tough run theatrically, earning just $39.2 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $25 million. This was undeniably partially caused by the movie’s negative reception from critics, illustrated by a 43% average score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. “Potentially gripping, but never generates enough tension,” wrote one reviewer, with another saying, “The Gambler is a solidly acted and directed piece that somehow can’t decide what kind of film it is.” 12 years later, it is bouncing back, officially placing as one of the ten most-streamed movies on Paramount+ in the U.S.
What Else Is Popular on Paramount+?
The Gambler might be the most surprising current hit on Paramount+, but it only places tenth, with other movies scoring even higher in the ranks. This includes Johannes Roberts‘ latest horror project, Primate, the latest in a huge horror franchise, Scream 7, the cinema-saving blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, Channing Tatum‘s true-crime gem Roofman, and the current chart-topper, Rebecca Thomas‘ crime flick Wardriver.
The Gambler is one of the ten most-streamed movies on Paramount+ in the U.S. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
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November 10, 2014
- Runtime
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111minutes
- Director
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Rupert Wyatt
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