Runner, Runner - C-

Rated R, 91 minutes

Handsome "Runner, Runner" a bland, unsatisfying thriller

Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake

Don't take a chance on the sloppy, bland new crime thriller "Runner, Runner" starring recent Oscar-winner Ben Affleck and superstar singer Justin Timberlake. This vapid drama has an intriguing story but lacks depth, even with a nice turn by Affleck. Richie (Timberlake), a Princeton college student who pays for school with on-line gambling, bottoms out and travels to Costa Rica to confront the wealthy, on-line mastermind Ivan (Affleck) only to be lured into the lavish but dangerous operation. Directed by Brad Furman ("The Lincoln Lawyer") and written by Brian Koppleman ("Ocean's Thirteen"), it's a handsome but forgettable drama that never goes beyond surface level blathering on about online gambling. Actor-for-hire Affleck, as a rather milquetoast bad guy, is the best thing about the bland "Runner, Runner" and only reminds us of what a great director he is. The woefully miscast Timberlake is what really hurts the film; while he may be a talented singer, his limited acting skills (wide eyes, blank stare, rote line readings) drag the film down considerably, though it's not all his fault. With such lazy direction, scripting and editing, "Runner, Runner" runs mostly on empty: it doesn't fully explore its characters or their motivations, jumping from one scene to another without great explanation and giving the feeling there wasn't much to work with. It really runs out of gas by the time it gets to its unsatisfying, unsurprising climax, which could've been preposterous fun; instead, it's so badly executed and so abrupt it may leave you baffled by everything that came before it. Affleck and Timberlake fans should turn out, but don't take the risk on such a dull bet like "Runner, Runner."

Wes's Grade: C-