The Card Counter

This thriller tells the story of a former military interrogator turned professional card player who is haunted by certain decisions from his past. William Tell taught himself to count cards during his eight-year stint under military pressure. His philosophy is to bet little and win modestly to avoid attracting attention. Although he plays every day he never stays in a casino hotel and only lives with two small suitcases between motels, where he removes any decorations and covers all the furniture with plain sheets and twine when he arrives.

In Atlantic City, a security industry convention is taking place in the same building as the casino. Tell sneaks into a seminar organized by retired Major John Gordo and on leaving is recognized and confronted by a young man, Cirk Baufort, who knows his true identity: William Tillich, a soldier who was tried and convicted for his role in the torture of Abu Ghraib and the abuse of prisoners.

This intense thriller directed by Paul Schrader stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe, Alexander Babara, Marcus Wayne, Don Lay, Britton Webb, Marlon Hayes, Justine Salas, Sherri Piper, Ekaterina Baker, Joel Michaely, Billy Slaughter and Hassel Kromer, with a staging marked by their extraordinary performances.