Bruce Willis to Star in Gambling Movie

I read this weekend that Die Hard actor, Bruce Willis, is set to take a leading role in a new movie about the world of sports betting. According to various media reports, Willis will play the role of gambling boss, Douglas “Dink” Heimowitz, who introduces the main character, Beth Raymer, to the world of gambling. The film, Lay the Favorite is based on Raymer’s autobiography of the same name that examines her life in the online gambling worlds of Costa Rica and Curacao.

Raymer got a taste of gambling at a very young age. Her father, a serious gambler, apparently used to send his seven year old daughter to the kennels to examine which greyhounds had done their business, the theory being that a dog who had a full stomach ran slower than one who had defecated.  Raymer graduated from college, before turning to exotic dancing, boxing and waitressing. It was as a waitress that she met Dinky Heimowitz and she became a cash-runner for him, learning all she could about sports betting and online gambling.  In the book, Raymer chronicles her life as Dinky’s gofer, peppering the tale with stories of low-end hustlers and misfits that she meets along the way.

Willis’ taking on this role will be a definite step away from his usual action-packed movies. After his Die Hard 5 received lukewarm reviews, I think it’s time Willis shows us that he is a good actor by taking on a more serious role.

Rebecca Hall (of Vicky Cristina Barcelono fame) has been signed on to play the role of Raymer, while Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liasons, The Drifters) will direct. It has also been rumored that Catherine Zeta Jones and Justin Timberlake will take part in the movie.

Gambling-themed movies are certainly nothing new, but they continue to attract huge crowds, which is why I believe that Lay the Favorite will be a big hit. The fact that such high profile actors and a top-notch director have agreed to be part of this project speaks loads for the potential hit of this movie.