Mark Wahlberg’s Role as a Gambling Addict Could Garner Him an Oscar Nomination
Mark Wahlberg is set to star in the upcoming remake of the classic 1974 film, The Gambler, about a literary professor who becomes a gambling addict. The Gambler starred James Caan as Axel Freed, a Harvard-educutad professor who cannot control his gaming habit.
The original film received a Golden Globe award. James Caan won raves reviews for his portrayal of a reckless gambler. His seemingly idyllic life as an inspirational educator descends into a gritty struggle for survival, while his gambling habit destroys the relationships around him.
Body Sculpting for Axel Freed
Mark Wahlberg lost a significant amount of weight to play the role of Axel Freed. Because he sculpted his body to look like the character in the original, some pundits are comparing his role to Matthew McConagnahey’s role in The Dallas Buyer’s Club, which won the Texan actor an Oscar Award for Best Actor last year.
Boston native Mark Wahlberg will have trouble matching the expectations. Though he has been one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars over the past decade and a half, Wahlberg is considered to have limited range as an actor. The role of Axel Freed should allow him to a chance to expand on his reputation, because it calls for subtlety, emotional depth, and a certain amount of charisma.
Studied the Literary References
Wahlberg told the USA Today he put a lot of effort into the current role: “Forget losing the weight. Being believable as a teacher was one of my greatest challenges and most rewarding.” He studied every one of the movies literary references at great length, including the lengthy, pithy novels written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky’s works are known for their profound treatments of both human psychology and Russian mysticism, and the scenes in which Alex Freed enlightens his students about the Russian author require command of such material.
Nothing is assured for Mark Wahlberg on the Oscar front, though. The field is said to be crowded with Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Keaton getting early buzz. Steve Carrell and Eddie Redmayne each underwent major physical transformations for starring roles themselves, so Wahlberg will have a hard time finding his place in the field.
The Gambler and Social Issues
When the movie releases, expect it to cause a considerable amount of discussion in the gambling community. The Council on Problem Gambling is likely to ride its coattails to get attention for their cause. Not very many Hollywood films tackle the subject of compulsive gambling, so opponents of casino, online, and mobile gambling might take the chance to score points with the public.
Last year, Ben Affleck starred as a sinister offshore online gambling mogul in the movie, Runner Runner. Affleck played Ivan Block, who lured an American college student into the lurid lifestyle of Internet gaming executives. While the portrayal of Ivan Block might have been laughable to real online gambling millionaires, the film’s release gave critics of the online gambling industry to try to sway public opinion against the industry. Expect The Gambler to offer the same opportunity, though gaming critics might attack the wider industry, including land-based casinos.
About Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg’s troubled early life is well known by those who follow Hollywood stars. He spent a short time in prison for attacking an Asian-American homeless man and causing permanent harm to him. Mark Wahlberg might have been just another failed street hood, but he had the look and a famous brother: Donnie Wahlberg. Donnie Wahlberg was the (somewhat) controversial member of the New Kids on the Block, who were a massively popular boy band of the late-1980s and early-1990s.
With such connections, Mark Wahlberg broke into the pop music business as Marky-Mark, performing such hits as “Good Vibrations”. From there, he transitioned to acting roles. He became famous for roles in movies like Boogie Nights, The Perfect Storm, the Planet of the Apes remake, Invincible, The Fighter, and Ted. Now, Mark Wahlberg is considered one of the top American leading men, but he has never received the critical acclaim he might have hoped to receive. The Gambler might finally give Wahlberg a career-defining role.
