‘The Gambler’ Trailer: Mark Wahlberg Makes a Whole Bunch of Bad Decisions

We've already seen the red band trailer for 'The Gambler,' which introduced us to director Rupert Wyatt's news thriller with a foul-mouthed bang. Now, a tamer version has arrived and it replaces the F-bomb poetry of the last preview with actual details on the film's plot and characters. Not a bad trade.

As the title implies, Mark Wahlberg plays a seemingly normal college professor who just so happens to be a high stakes gambler who runs in a lot of nasty circles. You know, the kind of circles that include characters played by Michael K. Williams and John Goodman, who appear to be playing mean S.O.B.s. On the other side of things, you have Brie Larson playing Wahlberg's love interest and Jessica Lange playing his mother, who finds herself wrapped up in her son's increasingly awful situation.

And it looks good. Really good. Wyatt hasn't made a movie since 2011's exceptional 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes,' but this looks like the kind of movie that could win him a whole bunch of new fans and accolades. The trailer gives off a real Scorsese vibe (certainly helped by the use of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter") and those are really good vibes to give off.

Here's the official synopsis:

Jim Bennett (Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg) is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Academy Award winner Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett’s future. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance…

'The Gambler' opens in theaters on December 19.