In the late 2000s Colorado native Molly Bloom, a petite 20-something and former Olympic skier, ran the most exclusive poker ring in Hollywood. She would eventually move her gig to New York City, picking up a drug habit and some alleged Russian mob connections. The machinations of the “poker princess” — and her $250,000 buy-in games — came to a grinding halt when 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons arrested her in the middle of the night.
Prolific screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (West Wing, The News Room, The Social Network, Steve Jobs, A Few Good Men) makes his directorial debut with Molly’s Game, a film based on Molly Bloom’s real, fascinating life. Jessica Chastain stars as Bloom, with Kevin Costner playing her “tough love psychologist” father and Idris Elba playing a lawyer reluctant, but willing, to take on Bloom’s case.
Catch an advance screening of Molly’s Game — which has already garnered two Golden Globe nominations for best actress in a drama and best motion picture screenplay — at the Terrace, in partnership with the JCC Filmfest, on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. $2 from every ticket sold will benefit the CJF Kosher Food Pantry and the first 30 tickets sold will receive a Molly’s Game deck of cards. There will also be a giveaway of 10 tickets to the next Filmfest movie, Menashe.