Overview

• El Apostador is a 2014 Netflix crime drama directed by Rupert Wyatt that adapts James Toback’s 1974 screenplay and stars Mark Wahlberg as literature professor Jim Bennett.
• Bennett’s compulsive gambling leads to mounting mafia debts after a risky Las Vegas betting spree threatens his life.
• Its recent climb to Netflix’s fourth most-watched film has prompted discussions about the gap between critics’ mixed scores and strong viewer engagement.
• Professional reviews assign a 45% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 55 on Metacritic, contrasting with its current streaming momentum.
• Supporting performances by Brie Larson and John Goodman complement the film’s dark tension over its roughly 1-hour-50-minute runtime.