Molly’s Game slunk under the radar this Christmas season as the first film directed by Aaron Sorkin. While I am not experienced with work he contributed to previously as a writer ( Social Network and Moneyball to name two ), his directing holds great promise for future films. This theatrical adaptation summarizes the memoir written by Molly Bloom, a strong skier on her way to the Olympics who’s life is suddenly shifted into high stakes poker games for the rich and the dirty alike.

I want to start by saying that I love dialog heavy films and I enjoy a quick witted battle of the minds between two characters. The writing in Molly’s Game really plays to this concept, pitting the dynamic talents of Jessica Chastain as sharp business-woman, Molly Bloom, and Idris Elba, as straightforward lawyer, Charlie Jaffey. The connection between these two leads channels into an intriguing battle of right and wrong and carries the story where it drags. The result pokes gentle holes in the concept of what is considered a good role-model or simply what defines a good person.

However, Molly’s Game suffers from subtle pain points such as weak pacing and lack of music. Aaron Sorkin uses a traditional plot structure that starts in the present and then transitions back and forth in time to intertwine important events in Molly Bloom’s life. This structure is solid, but the timehops undermine the pacing. While the viewer is begging for more backstory, they are left gasping for air from the complicated and uneventful dialog of the present. The flashback poker scenes are thrilling, showing off the full spectrum of emotions experienced in poker, accented by some fantastic comedic one liners. Moments in the present express the stifling air of Molly’s current situation, but supportive music would have served these heavy scenes where there tend to be strange gaps in dialog, breaking the pacing and the viewer’s train of thought.

When a film does so many basic components well, it’s easy to poke holes in its few flaws. Being able to centralize all of my criticisms into just a lack of music and pacing proves how much Molly’s Game did right. It’s a film set on taking you through Molly’s story and exploring her motivations. When a story is heavily dialog focused, the pacing has to be tight and concise, otherwise you will lose your viewer. My reason for the lower rating is the end of the film didn’t have the emotional weight I needed it to have. It wasn’t supported enough by the events in the story and if the sections had been rearranged and more tightly connected, it would have been such a powerful moment.

If your sights are set at the theater this winter season, this film is intriguing and worth the view. Especially if you actually know how to play poker and need to escape family for a bit.