Playing God (2021)
7/10
Well Crafted for the Ending.
8 August 2021
Like the storyline says: a group of con artists reunite to scam a grieving billionaire. The added twist, they're trying to con their mark into believing one of them is god, which is a lofty con to say the least.

The movie is well made, with solid writing and convincing acting too. The pacing is a little slow, and the actual con could have been a little more elaborate to keep things more interesting. Also, the subplot involving the pregnant couple had a purpose, but it's the least interesting parts of the film. It's not a boring film, and the plot is more complex than the brief storyline would lead you to believe.

There is one massive contrived coincidence that I am not sure actually exists. The fact one character mysteriously went into debt suggests the selection of the mark wasn't a coincidence. The character went into debt finding the mark, and the scene where they're given their implied random target was part of the con. Unfortunately, the writing and directing is too vague on this plot point, so even adding a throw away line to confirm these suspicions would have benefited the film greatly. But to avoid spoilers, no more details will be discussed.

Near the end of the film I had concluded this was a 5 or a generous 6/10. It's a slightly above average con artist movie, but nothing spectacular or memorable. Then the final scene concluded, and this movie became a 7/10. I rate movies by what they are. I'll rate a horror/comedy, monster movie by how competent it is as a horror/comedy, monster movie.

It's not as well crafted as Ocean's Eleven (2001), and it's not as flashy as Now You See Me (2013), but it's competently made. The ending reminds me of Hellowoo Goseuteu (Hello Ghost), a Korean film made in 2010. Both have final scenes that alter the tone, themes, and intent of their entire films. Turns out, this wasn't just a movie about playing god.

Many movies don't know how to end, this movie was written for it's ending. Between the two, the latter is always appreciated. The irony that this movie conned me into believing it was a completely different movie isn't lost on me either.
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