Jack has served as executive producer and writer for Red Scorpion and its sequel, both of which are action films. So, Jack understands movies. His worries are not unreasonable. Even viewers like me, who have been paying attention to real-life topics for a long time and who are relatively familiar with current affairs in the United States, can only watch the documentary about Jack several times, and only when they are more relaxed. There are too many interviews in the film and it is too boring, and it is more suitable as the material for the court to judge the case. In addition, there is an irreparable regret. The protagonist Jack did not come forward at all, and the director could only collect historical footage about him everywhere. Watching this documentary is like watching a spider weave its web. A huge web of corruption crisscrossed and connected in all directions was clearly unfolding before our eyes, but we didn't see any spiders.
The spider is now free. When Jack was released from prison in December 2010, it was time to catch up with the release of a feature film about him. The name was slightly simplified from the documentary, omitting the "United States of Money", and it was called "Casino Jack" (Casino Jack). Jack's name is destined to be closely associated with the casino, although he has no penchant for gambling. If Jack's commemorative coin is issued, his head can be placed on the front, and the casino's pattern will be painted on the back. A super lobbyist, his most famous clientele is a casino run by an Indian tribe. Indian casinos provide Jack with the most important operating income, and the numbers are staggering. In the movie, Jack offers three years and $30 million to lobby the Chippewa tribe in Michigan. Even Jack's partners thought it was a ridiculous amount of money.
Generally speaking, the economic development level of Indian tribes is hardly higher than the average level of the United States. Even for the tribes that made their fortunes from casinos, $30 million is a huge sum. It could allow more old people to enjoy their old age, more young people to be well educated, and perhaps a better social security system for the tribe. Why would they give up all these benefits and give Jack a huge sum of money? From the movie, Jack helps the Indian casinos with two main things, first to ensure they enjoy low taxes, and second to prevent other neighboring tribes from opening new casinos, killing competitors in the cradle. This all needs to go through the legislative process of the US Congress. Jack patted Indians on his chest and said he could effectively influence legislation because of his close ties to prominent figures in Congress, such as House Majority Leader Tom Delay, a Republican from Texas. Dilay once called Jack one of his closest friends, and the two of them visited Russia together, went to the Marianas for tropical Pacific views, and went on a golf trip to Scotland. Several of Diley's assistants for many years later became Jack's partners or colleagues.
After the Republicans' overall victory in the 1994 congressional elections, Dilay became the party's No. 3 figure. A few years later, he moved forward again and was successfully elected as the number two leader, the majority leader. Before entering politics, Dilay ran businesses like pest control for 11 years, during which the EPA officially banned the use of DDT. The decision of the federal government seriously affected Dilay's business development, which in turn contributed to the final formation of his political ideas. Diley was hostile to big government, and throughout his years as a member of Congress, he had been a vocal advocate for less government interference.
Jack Abramoff's conservative political stance is highly aligned with Dilay's, and the two share the same ardent religious sensibilities. Diley is a born-again Christian, and Jack is a strong believer in Judaism. Judaism does not follow the "New Testament", but half of the "Bible" is enough to make the spiritual world of the two highly compatible. Of course, any spectator will not ignore the interest connection between the two. Over the years, Jack has donated large amounts of campaign funds to Dilay and other Republicans. He has also skillfully used private jet travel, sushi at fancy restaurants, and box seats at sports games to bolster his influence over the legislative process in Congress. After Jack Abramoff's incident, several Republican congressmen were ousted and even jailed because of their association with Jack. Dilay himself was tracked down by the judiciary for several years and eventually survived, but he was recently sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in another money laundering case in Texas.
Compared to the documentary, this drama is a bit more engaging and I can watch it in one go. The film's portrayal of Jack Abramoff's personality is particularly successful, played by two-time Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey. In the first scene of the film, Jack is brushing his teeth in the bathroom, and his every action is firm and forceful, just like the leader making a report at the party congress. Jack muttered to himself in the mirror about the glittering politicians and celebrities who made it into the media every day. He said, "I'm like them. I'm different, I can be any of them. You can't, you know why? Because in real life, most people are willing to be mediocre." Jack was born into a wealthy Jewish businessman family. From a young age, his ambitions and ambitions drove him throughout his life, not only let him become a young talent in the Republican Party, then he would make a move on K Street in Washington, where lobbyists gathered, and he also landed him in federal prison. Even in prison, he was exceptionally different. He talks to criminals about the rights of lobbyists under the First Amendment, and he teaches the structure of screenplays.
Jack continued to talk to himself in front of the mirror, "Some people say I'm selfish, fuck you, but I'm always giving back, and I give back a lot. Some people say I'm arrogant, fuck you twice, but I'm actually very humble, give me to the United States. The gift of gratitude. America is the greatest nation on planet Earth.” Indeed, Jack is not a one-dimensional villain, and even those who hate him acknowledge his generosity. He is charitable and never stingy in donations. There are also many grateful Indians who have been robbed of huge sums of money by Jack, who believe that they have indeed received substantial help.
In the end, Jack's summary in the bathroom didn't come in the style of a party congress report, but instead returned to a personal perspective. He said, "My name is Jack Abramov, and I work out every day." There are many details in the movie that show Jack exercising. He lifts barbells at home and dumbbells while on the phone in the office. There are no barbells or dumbbells in the prison. He creatively blocks the books the prisoners are reading and continues to exercise his arm strength. His emphasis on physique has entered the situation of obsessive-compulsive patients. By the end of the film, Jack writes to former President Clinton, asking for help from Democrats. Why do Democrats need the help of this ultraconservative Republican? The reason is still this line, "My name is Jack Abramov, and I exercise every day." Jack's seriousness has gone far beyond the scope of reasonableness, and he has been reduced to a clown.
This shot lasts exactly 2 minutes, and Kevin Spacey's performance reaches the level of his award-winning work. Unfortunately, from the perspective of film creation, there are very few commendable places in the whole work category. After the story unfolded, the director failed to show enough control, and all I saw was a lack of control. The Jack Abramoff scandal involves countless interesting story materials, such as the blurring of moral bottom lines caused by personal struggles, the structural shortcomings of Washington's political operations, the ideological confrontation between the Republican and Democratic parties, and how ethnic minorities can effectively safeguard their own interests, etc. Wait. The challenge for creators is not not enough material, but too much material, and they don't sew a decent garment with the high-quality fabric they have on hand.
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