"The Bet" could be described as a triumph of style over substance. There isn't much to the plot. Young stockbroker bets with rich young banker he can make more money over the next 90 days. Stockbroker resorts to illegal methods to get ahead, endangering his relationship with pretty young lawyer. There are a couple of twists in the ending, though one makes very little sense. The film-makers have buffed the whole thing to a high state of gloss with lots of lovely harbour scenery, an atmospheric (if wildly unrealistic) dealing room, harbourside restaurants, smart bars (and real pole dancers), smart cutting, seaside golf and even a trip to the polo at Windsor. There's a nice original score too, in classical style by John Gray. The producers didn't have any government money and did it their way.
The trouble is that this story, unlike Richard Beasley's satirical "Hell Has Harbour Views", is meant to be a serious morality play. Yet the message here seems to be if you are young, greedy and stupid, and going to hell, you might as well do it in style. The women here are gorgeous, the champagne French and the night is beckoning. The concluding scenes have a serious suspension of disbelief issue that I can't go into or I'll give the ending away. Acting, though, is excellent. Matthew Newton (Bert's son, who has been lately having a little local difficulty in his personal life) is great as Will the eager beaver young broker he's like Russell Crowe's naïve younger brother, with big blue eyes and a love of risk-taking. Aden Young as his handsome, rich and profoundly callous banker mate gives us a study in nastiness. His casual dismissal in public of his beautiful and personable girlfriend Lila (Peta Sargeant) in the same way he might sack a secretary is evidence enough. Sibylla Budd gives us a rounded performance as Tori, the bright young lawyer in love with Will. I also enjoyed Roy Billing as George, Will's father, the Aussie Battler personified (though Roy is actually from New Zealand).
The film-makers, including former actor Mark Lee in his directorial debut and writer/producer Caroline Gerard, an ex- big Sydney law firm employee, have given the whole thing a professional sheen and produced a reasonably entertaining film. The atmospherics are terrific, but the characterizations are pretty basic and the story skew-whiff. Still, it does make a change from stories about Western suburbs junkies. Failure happens in rich suburbs too. Unfortunately it's just as depressing.
