"Runner Runner" Offends Costa Rican Authorities

While a number of moviegoers were offended by the film "Runner Runner" for its lack of entertainment value, officials in Costa Rica took offense another way -- the country being portrayed as a hotbed of prostitution, drugs, gambling and corruption.

Starring former Mouseketeer Justin Timberlake and heartthrob Ben Affleck, both of whom were reportedly high stakes poker players in the illegal games run by "Poker Princess" Molly Bloom (a story that will also appear on the silver screen), "Runner Runner" tells the tale of a young online poker player who makes his way to Costa Rica to settle the score with an Internet gambling tycoon.

"Richie" (Timberlake) believes he was fleeced online and journeys to the Republic of Costa Rica in Central America to confront "Ivan Block" (Affleck). But Costa Rican officials such as the Ministry of Public Security are the ones who believe they've been fleeced (along with many who paid to see the movie), as the story was shot on location mostly in Puerto Rico and paints Costa Rican law enforcement to be corrupt and perhaps unprofessional.

One scene in the film shows Costa Rican national police drinking and smoking while among ladies of the night. Authentic Costa Rica police uniforms were used, although the country's Minister of Public Security, Celso Gamboa, told insidecostarica.com that permission was never sought nor granted.

"Runner Runner" was released 14 months ago. Poker players who enjoy watching poker and/or gambling-related movies were excited prior to the film's showing upon hearing that the movie's writers were the same who entertained the masses with "Rounders." But the general consensus regarding "Runner Runner" is that it failed to live up to its hype and billing.

And now, more than a year after making its debut, the movie has offended Costa Rican officials.

“It is a way of telling criminals and drug addicts that Costa Rica is perfect [for such behavior]," Gamboa added. "We want this to be fixed because you don’t play with (mock) our country.”