Runner Runner
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 28
  3. Negative: 8 out of 28

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  1. MarcDoyle
    Oct 8, 2013
    5
    It's not a terrible movie as many suggest- it's highly predictable, but Timberlake, Arterton and Affleck are fun to watch in this context. You've got gambling, sex, attractive people in pools, and a smart person negotiating his way out of a difficult series of circumstances. It's the ultimate popcorn movie that doesn't require much in the way of thinking. If you're up for that sort of thing, this should fill the bill.… Expand
  2. TVJerry
    Oct 7, 2013
    5
    Justin Timberlake plays a Princeton student who travels to Costa Rica to confront on-line gambling kingpin Ben Affleck about being cheated. When he gets there, he's offered a part in the game, which turns predictably sour and dangerous. While there's nothing original, this film is adequate in style and performances. The pacing never lapses and the art direction is attractive. If you enjoy these actors and don't want to see anything else, you won't be bored. You won't be thrilled, either.… Expand
  3. Kadeemluvmusic
    Oct 8, 2013
    3
    Although I'm not too sure with the chemistry between a Grammy-winning pop megastar and a Oscar-winning actor (who's going to be in the Man of Steel sequel as the new Clooney *ahem... Batman). JT has some huge talented skills, but he can't act in a traditional style of a poker-esque movie. Runner, Runner has a list of great cast like Gemma Atkinson and Anthony Mackie, but there's nothing new in the movie. I feel very disappointed at Justin Timberlake's movie career status because he's not yet a full Hollywood A-lister and just like Taylor Kirsch and Colin Farrell and even Ryan Reynolds, he's just not making a name for himself when it comes to becoming a musician turned actor. Affleck's performance in Runner Runner is lesser than Gigli and more than Argo. But I think he took a few steps backwards before he even got nominated for his work in Argo. It was supposed to be a good thriller, but then again I just might go see "Gravity" instead. I think I should wait for a rental, but I don't wanna see Runner Runner right now. If you like poker movies, try "Leaving Las Vegas" or "Casino Royale" and maybe you're just in time to play the cards right.… Expand
  4. Thegodfatherson
    Oct 4, 2013
    5
    By far the biggest shortcoming of the film is the lack of interconnectivity between the gambling world and the characters in the movie itself. Early on, a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the online gaming industry is captivating but the film never commits to maintaining the insight as the larger crime narrative locks into place. Throughout the film, Thurman attempts to remind viewers that Runner Runner is about gambling through heavy-handed metaphors and exposition that explain the connections between high-stakes poker and high-roller living but none of these ideas come full circle by the end as the story locks into a standard cat and mouse chase. As a result, gambling enthusiasts will likely conclude that Runner Runner is a shallow, and outright superficial, look at their hobby/business while anyone hoping for a sharp-witted look behind-the-scenes will find the film prioritizes generic story beats over innovative drama. Solid performances hint that, somewhere along the line, Thurman lost sight of any captivating hooks in his gambling thriller instead delivering a bland and familiar narrative that, given the on-the-nose messages about striving for greatness, ironically, takes very few risks.… Expand
  5. Aedrone12
    Oct 4, 2013
    2
    Well if this isn't one of the worst movies I've ever seen then I don't know what is. It's like they put the actors up to something they weren't ready for in their career, basically saying the acting was bad. The story just flops on itself and never recovers. 2/10 would hardly recommend.
  6. MovieGuys
    Oct 5, 2013
    5
    Ben Affleck as some good appeal here, and JT is pretty decent as well, but the acting can't save this movie. It comes out strong at the beginning, but the plot becomes weak and muddled as the movie drags on. Both actors are just stranded in weak material here.
  7. JJorgy77
    Oct 4, 2013
    3
    Ben Affleck should stick to directing. This film did not make use of any of the potential it had to be captivating. It was way to easy to figure out where it was going right from the start.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
36

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 31
  3. Negative: 11 out of 31
  1. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    Oct 11, 2013
    25
    The actors hit the jackpot, but only in terms of their paychecks. The audience gets a tension-free, tight-assed, "Casino" ripoff that leaves them thoroughly fleeced.
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  2. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Kimberley Jones
    Oct 9, 2013
    40
    Thrillers don’t come much more nondescript than this: If Runner Runner were a color scheme, it would be beige, with an accent wall in taupe.
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  3. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Liam Lacey
    Oct 5, 2013
    38
    Runner Runner is a bad run of cliché clichés.
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