Lou “Easy” Evans isn’t a particularly gifted singer, but he’s got swagger and pizzaz and panache, and a real gift for choosing the songs he croons on various little stages around the slightly scuzzier side of Las Vegas. Tiny bars and iffy lounges and downbeat casinos are his domain, and set lists full of upbeat jams (Whitney Houston and Stevie Nicks, Mike and the Mechanics and Pat Benatar, oh my!) turned into real heartbreakers are his currency.
Being the biggest star on The Strip has never been his goal, but he’d sure like the opportunity to not feel like such a loser all the time, not to have to scrape by for every penny. And in Vegas? That kind of optimism — “I’d like to have a paid off credit card bill!” — is a liability.
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It’s “another magical day here in Las Vegas, Nevada” when Nic Pizzolatto’s surprisingly low-key feature directorial debut “Easy’s Waltz” opens, though you wouldn’t know it from the Evans brothers. Easy (Vince Vaughn) is gearing up for another throwaway show with his band, The Grifters, in a “budget-friendly” downtown Vegas joint. Sam (Simon Rex) has slinked off to a dim bar, rather than doing his actual job (managing Easy and other local acts), and his eyes light up when he spots a pretty gal (Kate Mara as Lucy) across the way.
And while, as Sam tells it, “the number one rule is to know when to leave the fucking casino,” that doesn’t seem to be happening for either of the Evans men. In a city of people always hoping for the next big score, they’re no different than anyone else, but time is running out, patience is wearing thin, and something has to change. Their luck, it seems, has to turn. Right? Talk about a gamble.
Despite the dire-sounding set-up of Pizzolatto’s film (he also wrote the film’s script), “Easy’s Waltz” isn’t nearly as downbeat as most might expect from the guy behind “True Detective,” but grinding it out in Vegas is never a walk in the park. Not nearly as dark — or deep-feeling — as last year’s “beloved star takes on a vibe shift in a Vegas-set drama,” what “Easy’s Waltz” has in common with that Pamela Anderson vehicle is obvious enough: a solid turn from its star. Vaughn pours himself into the role, but he also seems to understand that going big and broad for this one is a misstep. Easy isn’t a caricature, even if the people and events around him increasingly feel that way.
When Easy catches the eye of local manager (and much, much more) Mickey Albano (a well-cast Al Pacino), his star is suddenly on the rise. Mickey books him into a residency at the swanky Wynn Casino, passing the whole thing off as part of his newfound interest in giving back to the little people, not his bone-deep interest in looking out for himself. Entanglements abound: Mickey is also friendly with Lucy, whom Sam pretends not to know, if only because he’s got the good sense not to show Mickey all his cards. And when Sam cooks up a truly stupid scheme to make some quick cash, there’s little doubt a heavy like Mickey isn’t going to like it.
What Easy lacks up for in obvious vocal ability — though everyone around him, especially Sam, is always quick to remind him he’s the best singer in town — he more than makes up for with flash. But that sort of flash is not the most natural fit for Pizzolatto, whose own sensibility seems to be at odds with the story at hand. Tonal disparities are often on offer, with Pizzolatto going for darker stuff (someone is gonna break your legs, sucka!) and Vaughn infusing the whole thing with non-stop, hangdog charm. Easy is the kind of dude who sings “The Little Drummer Boy” like it’s the saddest song in the world, but that’s not good enough for Pizzolatto, who opts to shoot that performance in black and white, because why not.
Despite the various dramas that swirl around this group of Vegas locals and wannabes, “Easy’s Waltz” meanders toward the bulk of its real punch, with its plot only kicking in long past its halfway mark. By then, Easy has become a viral hit, Sam has dug himself in way too deep, and Mickey is itching to show his true colors. Audiences might almost be eager to hear a classic limb-breaking threat by then, because far too much of this has been, well, a bit too easy going down.
Grade: B-
“Easy’s Waltz” premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
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