Update #2: Trailer pulled at the request of Hannibal Pictures.
Update: “Bag Man” is the title of the film in foreign territories. “Casino Jack” will remain the title in the United States.
Soundtracked to the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil” and “Gimme Shelter” with cash, guns and big egos flying around, you’d be forgiven if you thought George Hickenlooper’s “Bagman” (formerly known as “Casino Jack”) wasn’t about lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Well, it is and who knew his life was pretty much the political equivalent of Henry Hill’s?
The trailer for “Bagman” seems to be tonally all over the place wavering between insider D.C. political drama and broad comedy (which really doesn’t sit well with the blaring Stones tunes). Spacey seems to be at his hammy worst, and the weird cast surrounding him (Kelly Preston? Jon Lovitz?) doesn’t help matters. Only Barry Pepper seems to be hitting the right note for the film. And really, can we have an end to scoring trailers to the Rolling Stones for the next half century? Ok, thanks.
We presume the title was changed so the film isn’t confused with Alex Gibney’s documentary “Casino Jack & The United States Of Money” that is also about Abramoff and hit theaters earlier this year. “Bagman” will have its work cut out of it to find an audience. It opens on October 1st via first-time indie distributors Metropolitan Inc. which, frankly, doesn’t give us a load of confidence that this will be good.