It's a woman, of course, that brings about this change of heart. Billie (Angela Adto) is a waitress in the bar; she is supposedly Jackson's girl and off limits if you know what's good for you. Still there's only so long that a man can stand on the sidelines, and when "Bookie" sees Billie being mistreated by Jackson he wants to help. He convinces her to bet on the upcoming fight, because it's a sure thing that the champ will win, and she can use her winnings to make a clean break from the bar.
When the champ goes down in the first round Billie accuses "Bookie" of setting her up for Jackson, because it's obvious that the boss either had the fight rigged or had known in advance what the result was going to be. Stung by her accusation that he would never do anything without Jackson's permission, and knowing it's the truth, he finally decides to take a chance. When he goes to collect the winnings for the one person who happened to place a winning bet he slips in a claim for Billie as well.
In the wrong hands this movie could have ended up a cliche with a very large C but director Bao and his actors have done a fine job in avoiding letting the movie descend to that level. Right from the start we see that "Bookie" isn't thrilled with what goes on around him when he attempts to interfere with a punishment beating two of the boss's enforcers are carrying out. Even when Jackson pulls him back into line, Ken Quitugua lets the camera see the shame and regret he feels because he gave in.
Throughout the movie, even as he's impassively taking bets for people, there's the impression that "Bookie" only needs the right push, and he will cross that line from safety into risk. In bits of conversation we hear him having with a customer, and his reaction to Jackson hitting Billie - where he begins to rise out of his seat but is stared down by the boss - we see his wish that he was something more than he is.
While the other characters are mainly there as for "Bookie" to play off, Angela Adto as Billie is able to bring a nice touch of reality to her part. While naturally cynical and bitter because of her treatment at the hands of Jackson, she manages to convey something that shows why "Bookie" is willing to risk everything for her. She has a wonderful moment near the end of the film, where she is able to communicate volumes about the true nature of her character with just a smile.
Article comments
1 - Terry Finley
I like the attitude here toward the short story.