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REINDEER GAMES

Date: Oct 05 2000

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

ex-con

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Plot: Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) was just released from prison and wants to start a new life with Ashley (Charlize Theron). She is a girl his cellmate fell in love with through letters he wrote while in prison. But, Ashley’s crazy brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) and his friends want him to help them plan a robbery of a casino.
Clip: Rudy is being held against his will by Gabriel’s gang because they want him to help them rob the casino. Rudy is afraid because he knows that they will kill him after he helps them. He is mad at Ashley because in the letters she wrote she never told him about her brother’s plans. But, Rudy is pretending to be Nick, the person she wrote the letters to.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Rudy

Ashley

Rudy: Get your own room Ashley.

Ashley: Let me help you.

Rudy: Get your own ROOM!

Ashley: He said when you come out he wants to talk to you. That’s all. I thought he meant after New Year’s, you know, back in…

Rudy: Oh yeah you know what he wants right?

Ashley: Just a few more days.

Rudy: For what. What are you going to do. Talk me into helping?

Ashley: You know how I feel about my brother. You know how I hate him.

Rudy: What did you think was going to happen? You think it’ll be over? You think he’s going to let me go? He’s going to shoot me in the back of the head like this. Or I’m back in prison for the rest of my life and that’s it for me.

Ashley: I’m afraid too, you know. You think he’s just going to let me walk? You think he’s not going to take this out on me, Nick? I’m in this too. And I’m really scared…Nick, Nick. Do you remember all those letter you wrote me? About me and you against the whole world? God, you know, it’s just my luck. I finally meet a boy that I’m crazy about and my brother wants him worse than I do.

Rudy: Why didn’t you tell me your brother was a criminal.

Ashley: Gabriel knows some guys in Miami and New York, guys that he helps get guns to Detroit. That’s all I know.

Rudy: So, that’s who he’s working for on this one.

Ashley: No, he doesn’t want to work for anyone.

Rudy: Well, what’s the last place they took down.

Ashley: What??

Rudy: Monster and his merry men. What’s the last place they robbed? “Ripped off.” What’d they do?

Ashley: I don’t think they’ve robbed anywhere before. They drive guns.

Rudy: They’ve never done a robbery? Really? They really do actually need me.

DISCUSSION
The plot is confusing because everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not. Rudy is pretending to be Nick.
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Discussion

The problem with this movie is it tries to be an action movie and a comedy at the same time. They try to mix humor with violence and it fails. Ben Affleck is unconvincing as an ex-con because he seems more like a frat boy. In fact a lot of what happens in the movie is unbelievable. I give it a 3 out of 10 Have you seen REINDEER GAMES and you want to share your opinion? Or maybe you have seen another movie recently you want to talk about? Well, come to the “Movie Madness” message board and tell us about it! From the front row, Senior Movie Snob