High-stakes cards, the Russian mafia and a dysfunctional family collide in “Molly’s Game,” based on the remarkable true story of a woman who journeyed from Olympic skiing prospect to illegal poker ringleader.

Molly Bloom was raised under the unapproving gaze of her father, played by Kevin Costner, to achieve athletic perfection. When a freak accident strangles her skiing career, Molly is sidelined to a small job as a personal assistant in L.A., where she finds herself embroiled in a world of shadowy, high-stakes gambling.

Jessica Chastain plays Bloom with poise and control; she proved herself a master of powerful and confident women in 2012’s “Zero Dark Thirty” and 2015’s “The Martian.” Bloom constantly searches for any strategic edge she can get over men who treat her as little more than a sexual object, and that ambition is seething underneath Chastain’s emerald eyes.

When Bloom’s escapades land her in catastrophic legal trouble, she seeks counsel from defense lawyer Charlie Jaffrey, played by Idris Elba. Jaffrey has the difficult job of cutting through Bloom’s personal walls to uncover secrets she has spent years hiding. The two of them play off each other well; their conflicting interests give the film tension and electricity.

The film is written by “Moneyball” vet, Aaron Sorkin, who brings his stylistic trademarks to “Molly’s Game.” The characters are razor-smart; poker and legal terms are whipped at the viewer like machine gun rounds. While some jargon-heavy scenes can be difficult to follow, the film makes up for this with solid character work, strong filmmaking and the sick fun the audience gets from watching Bloom torpedo her life.

Between gambling, the mob and legal troubles, Sorkin has a lot on his narrative plate and, with the exception of a slightly cheesy climax, he sends it all home with cold efficiency.

For a first time writer, Sorkin has a clever grasp on visual metaphor. When Bloom enters her first poker game the room is dark and male-dominated. She’s an unsure women in an unknown environment. Later, as she brings the games to a high-class hotel, she impresses her Hollywood-celebrity players by surrounding them with expensive wine and beautiful vistas, which illustrates her growing power and elegance.

Poker aficionados will enjoy “Molly’s Game” for its high-stakes Texas Hold ‘Em, but to call this a poker film is false advertising. “Molly’s Game” is about an intelligent and driven women finding her way and those looking for a fun, thoughtful ride should check it out; just consider bringing a poker glossary to the theater.