- Literature professor and gambler Jim Bennett's debt causes him to borrow money from his mother and a loan shark. Further complicating his situation, is his relationship with one of his students. Will Bennett risk his life for a second chance?
- Jim Bennett is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank, a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett's future. As his relationship with a student deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance.—Paramount Pictures
- Wahlberg stars as Jim Bennett, a lecturer reeling from the death of his beloved grandfather (George Kennedy). His all-or-nothing personality gets him in debt for more than a quarter of a million dollars to the no-nonsense Mr. Lee (Alvin Ing), who runs an illegal gambling den. Jim attempts to play his way out of the hole by borrowing money from vicious criminal Neville Baraka (Michael Kenneth Williams), but his strategy backfires and leaves him owing the latter as well. His wealthy mother (Jessica Lange) initially refuses to give him any more money, which prompts Jim to make contact with Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark who offers to front him the cash he needs, but promises that failure to repay will lead to the death of his "bloodline." At the same time, Jim teaches a class of college kids about Shakespeare and Camus. His best student, Amy (Brie Larson), openly flirts with him, but he's also preoccupied with trying to get through to Lamar (Anthony Kelley), a star basketball player whom the university higher-ups want him to pass so he can continue to play..
- After his grandpa dies, Jim Bennett goes straight to a Mr. Lees illegal casino. He plays a few hands of blackjack, winning at first, but ends up owing Lee and a gangster Baraka big time. Both men give him exactly one week to come up with the money. Jim continues his days as an English professor. A student, Amy, is one of the brightest in class but she happens to be waiting tables at Lees casino and she saw Jim went broke. Jim goes to his wealthy mother to ask for money, who rejects him knowing his gambling addiction. He goes to a loan shark Frank, who agrees to loan him the money but at a later time. Jim talks with a student Lamar, a rising star basketball athlete and finds out that Lamar has been hiding an injury. His mother confronts him about the gangsters spying on her house.
She gives him the money when Jim tells her the truth about the debt. But instead Jim takes the money and loses it at blackjack while taking Amy out. As time is nearly out, Baraka forces Jim to reveal Lamar's contact info so he can personally force him to to fix the next game. Jim gives Baraka a wrong number and gets beaten for it, but Jim says he will tell Lamar about the game fixing. Jim then acts - he lets go of everything, giving his car to a complete stranger and quitting his job. He takes Frank's money and goes to Lamar's game. Lamar does as Jim asked him to so Jim wins big, with which he repays Baraka. He calls Frank telling him to meet him at Lees casino. He makes an double-or-nothing all-in betting the black numbers in a roulette. The bet pays off and he surrenders the money split two parts to Lee and Frank.
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