Edward Norton, Bryan Cranston, Hank Azaria, Neymar Jr., David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Ricardinho, Liam Payne, Gabriel Macht, Amy Schumer and many more celebrities played head-to-head over the weekend in the ‘Stars Call for Action – Powered by PokerStars’ online poker tournament to raise an enormous $1 million for charity.
Charity PokerStars Invitational
More than 90 celebrities signed up to the tournament to raise relief funds during the global pandemic, with the final table a true representation of the event’s international nature. Twenty-four players succeeded in taking down a portion of the total donation for their charity of choice.
Main Event final table winners and charity amounts:
1st: David Costabile – $100,000
2nd: Douglas Costa – $75,000
3rd: Jennifer Shahade (PokerStars Ambassador) – $40,000
4th: Casey Affleck – $30,000
5th: Chris Moneymaker (PokerStars Ambassador) – $20,000
6th: Mike Tindall – $15,000
With 50 percent of the total donation going directly to Care International on behalf of those playing, the remaining $500,000 now goes to the winners’ charities of choice.
Charity PokerStars Invitational
More than 90 celebrities signed up to the tournament to raise relief funds during the global pandemic, with the final table a true representation of the event’s international nature. Twenty-four players succeeded in taking down a portion of the total donation for their charity of choice.
Main Event final table winners and charity amounts:
1st: David Costabile – $100,000
2nd: Douglas Costa – $75,000
3rd: Jennifer Shahade (PokerStars Ambassador) – $40,000
4th: Casey Affleck – $30,000
5th: Chris Moneymaker (PokerStars Ambassador) – $20,000
6th: Mike Tindall – $15,000
With 50 percent of the total donation going directly to Care International on behalf of those playing, the remaining $500,000 now goes to the winners’ charities of choice.
- 5/19/2020
- Look to the Stars
“Listen, here’s the thing. If you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.”
It’s one of the all-time great lines in poker films. It’s also one of the many hooks that has made Rounders perhaps the most iconic and influential poker film of all time.
Originally released two decades ago in what was a very different world for poker, Rounders starred Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Gretchen Mol, John Malkovich, John Turturro and Martin Landau. Written by David Levien and Brian Koppelman and directed by John Dahl, it follows a young Damon as he gets sucked back into the world of high stakes poker while trying to clear the debts of his less scrupulous friend Worm, played by Norton.
The most influential poker film ever?
It didn’t set the box office on fire, nor did it fare particularly well with critics,...
It’s one of the all-time great lines in poker films. It’s also one of the many hooks that has made Rounders perhaps the most iconic and influential poker film of all time.
Originally released two decades ago in what was a very different world for poker, Rounders starred Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Gretchen Mol, John Malkovich, John Turturro and Martin Landau. Written by David Levien and Brian Koppelman and directed by John Dahl, it follows a young Damon as he gets sucked back into the world of high stakes poker while trying to clear the debts of his less scrupulous friend Worm, played by Norton.
The most influential poker film ever?
It didn’t set the box office on fire, nor did it fare particularly well with critics,...
- 1/7/2019
- by Michael Walsh
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
There are very few places where histories of steroid use, minor league legends, and the unexpected poker superstardom of Chris Moneymaker all make sense to coexist. With Season 4 of ESPN Films’ “30 for 30 Podcasts” series, they’ll all be in the same feed.
Today, ESPN Films released a first-listen for the upcoming slate of their audio documentary series, which has produced episodes that have landed on IndieWire’s Best of 2017 and Best of 2018 So Far lists. Five new installments, released weekly on Tuesdays through the middle of November, will cover areas from marathon protests to international baseball stars.
As with past seasons — and in the spirit of the award-winning feature doc series from which the podcast takes its name — these stories will feature contributions from a variety of reporters, producers, and narrators. Clinton Yates from The Undefeated, Andrew Mambo, Keith Romer, Andrew Muscato, and “The Longest Shortest Time” host emeritus Hillary...
Today, ESPN Films released a first-listen for the upcoming slate of their audio documentary series, which has produced episodes that have landed on IndieWire’s Best of 2017 and Best of 2018 So Far lists. Five new installments, released weekly on Tuesdays through the middle of November, will cover areas from marathon protests to international baseball stars.
As with past seasons — and in the spirit of the award-winning feature doc series from which the podcast takes its name — these stories will feature contributions from a variety of reporters, producers, and narrators. Clinton Yates from The Undefeated, Andrew Mambo, Keith Romer, Andrew Muscato, and “The Longest Shortest Time” host emeritus Hillary...
- 10/10/2018
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Before high stakes, card-playing 'poker games' became a standard in syndicated TV series, the feature "Rounders (1998), starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, gave moviegoers a romantic view of the game as a way of life, with 'Texas hold 'em', the game of choice throughout the entire film:
"...in 'Rounders', gifted poker player, law student 'Mike McDermott' (Damon) dreams of playing in the 'World Series of Poker' in Las Vegas.
"To do so, Mike moves up in stakes, risking a $30,000 bankroll while playing 'Texas hold 'em' at an underground poker room. But distracted by his dreams of playing in Vegas, an overconfident Mike loses his entire bankroll in one hand.
"Hooking up with 'Worm (Norton), Mike gets back into the game and goes on a run over several locations winning several big pots, settles his debt with Worm, repays other loans and restores his original bankroll of...
"...in 'Rounders', gifted poker player, law student 'Mike McDermott' (Damon) dreams of playing in the 'World Series of Poker' in Las Vegas.
"To do so, Mike moves up in stakes, risking a $30,000 bankroll while playing 'Texas hold 'em' at an underground poker room. But distracted by his dreams of playing in Vegas, an overconfident Mike loses his entire bankroll in one hand.
"Hooking up with 'Worm (Norton), Mike gets back into the game and goes on a run over several locations winning several big pots, settles his debt with Worm, repays other loans and restores his original bankroll of...
- 8/14/2018
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," one of the most influential imports of the last 13 years, will get a sequel. According to Deadline.com, The Weinstein Company will produce a second "Crouching Tiger" film starting in May.
Director Ang Lee, who earned a Best Director nomination for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," will not be involved in the sequel. The original film, which grossed $213 million worldwide, starred Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoah and Zhang Ziyi.
That TWC and Harvey Weinstein would want to revisit past successes should come as no surprise. Back in 2010, The Los Angeles Times reported that Weinstein and his former home, Miramax, had come to an agreement that allowed for sequels of films like "Shakespeare in Love," "Bad Santa" and "Rounders."
"Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the guys who wrote it, have been talking about a sequel, potentially," "Rounders" star Matt Damon told HuffPost Entertainment last year. "Because it's really interesting...
Director Ang Lee, who earned a Best Director nomination for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," will not be involved in the sequel. The original film, which grossed $213 million worldwide, starred Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoah and Zhang Ziyi.
That TWC and Harvey Weinstein would want to revisit past successes should come as no surprise. Back in 2010, The Los Angeles Times reported that Weinstein and his former home, Miramax, had come to an agreement that allowed for sequels of films like "Shakespeare in Love," "Bad Santa" and "Rounders."
"Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the guys who wrote it, have been talking about a sequel, potentially," "Rounders" star Matt Damon told HuffPost Entertainment last year. "Because it's really interesting...
- 1/25/2013
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
The game of poker changed in 2003 when Chris Moneymaker won the Wsop Main Event. A new generation of poker players dedicated themselves to poker tournaments and success at the tournament level is how most players are judged nowadays.
Below are the most successful players in poker history. Ironically enough, they are also some of the most successful tournament players of all-time.
1. Phil Hellmuth - Phil Hellmuth is the current all-time record holder for World Series of Poker bracelets with an amazing 13 titles. He is also the only man in Wsop history to have won both the Wsop Main Event in Las Vegas and the Wsop Europe Main Event.
2. Doyle Brunson – Known as both “Texas Dolly” and the “Godfather of Poker”, Brunson is one of the last original road gamblers from the 1960′s and 1970′s and is a ten-time Wsop bracelet winner, including winning the Main Event in both 1976 and 1977.
3. Phil Ivey...
Below are the most successful players in poker history. Ironically enough, they are also some of the most successful tournament players of all-time.
1. Phil Hellmuth - Phil Hellmuth is the current all-time record holder for World Series of Poker bracelets with an amazing 13 titles. He is also the only man in Wsop history to have won both the Wsop Main Event in Las Vegas and the Wsop Europe Main Event.
2. Doyle Brunson – Known as both “Texas Dolly” and the “Godfather of Poker”, Brunson is one of the last original road gamblers from the 1960′s and 1970′s and is a ten-time Wsop bracelet winner, including winning the Main Event in both 1976 and 1977.
3. Phil Ivey...
- 11/12/2012
- by Guest
- Obsessed with Film
"District 9" director Neill Blomkamp didn't want Matt Damon to star in his follow-up film, "Elysium." As Damon recalled, Blomkamp -- a South African native -- doesn't like the "Hollywood people." Yet, after meeting with the star, the director was apparently charmed. Which isn't surprising, considering that Matt Damon has made it look easy for an extremely famous person to appear accessible, be it showing up as a pierced rock singer in "EuroTrip" or the viral sensation of "I'm f-cking Matt Damon." Damon has made a career of poking fun at his own image -- something that actor discusses here at length.
"Elysium" -- scheduled for release next March and teased here at Comic Con -- is the much anticipated second film from Blomkamp, following his 2009 breakout, the aforementioned "District 9." The plot of the film has remained a mystery, but -- as Damon explains -- it centers on a space station called Elysium,...
"Elysium" -- scheduled for release next March and teased here at Comic Con -- is the much anticipated second film from Blomkamp, following his 2009 breakout, the aforementioned "District 9." The plot of the film has remained a mystery, but -- as Damon explains -- it centers on a space station called Elysium,...
- 7/14/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
“There was [a script] we wrote that I knew was a movie. It was mind-boggling to me that it wasn’t a movie.” That is how screenwriter Brian Koppelman (Rounders) described an original script he co-wrote with his lifelong best friend David Levien. Comedian Jay Mohr was pressing him to talk about any un-produced scripts that he wished had made it, earlier this month on the conversational comedy podcast “Mohr Stories.” Koppelman said he “couldn’t talk about that one” but it was finally shooting this summer with two stars, restoring his faith in the system.
Koppelman was talking about Runner, Runner, another drama set in the world of high-stakes gambling, and the stars are Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake. Shooting starts in Puerto Rico this June with Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer) at the helm, Variety announced two weeks later.
*Update: Koppelman and Levien began writing it in August 2010 and turned...
Koppelman was talking about Runner, Runner, another drama set in the world of high-stakes gambling, and the stars are Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake. Shooting starts in Puerto Rico this June with Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer) at the helm, Variety announced two weeks later.
*Update: Koppelman and Levien began writing it in August 2010 and turned...
- 4/23/2012
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
4th Row Films will release “All In: The Poker Movie” nationally on April 24, 2012 via digital retailers including Amazon and iTunes, with a DVD release to follow in July 2012. The opportunity to pre-order the film is available at www.allinthepokermovie.com, along with a limited edition poster and “All In: The Poker Movie”. playing cards. This release will follow a 40 market theatrical release in late March, including the Cinema Village in New York City and Laemmle 4 in Los Angeles.
A look at the story of poker from the underground clubs of New York City to the global boom and the recent online scandal, “All In: The Poker Movie”. is garnering unprecedented support across the country, with poker players participating in post-screening discussions during many of the theatrical runs either in person or via satellite.
Wamg is giving you the chance to enter for a chance to win:
1. All In: The Poker Movie...
A look at the story of poker from the underground clubs of New York City to the global boom and the recent online scandal, “All In: The Poker Movie”. is garnering unprecedented support across the country, with poker players participating in post-screening discussions during many of the theatrical runs either in person or via satellite.
Wamg is giving you the chance to enter for a chance to win:
1. All In: The Poker Movie...
- 4/20/2012
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
You don’t need to be a poker fanatic like myself to enjoy the new documentary All In: The Poker Movie, which opens at New York’s Cinema Village today and is available on video on demand on April 24. But if you are a cards fiend, you’ll appreciate the all-star interviewees featured in director Douglas Tirola’s film, from poker greats such as Phil Hellmuth and Amarillo Slim to other players and icons like Matt Damon, Ira Glass, Kenny Rogers, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Ingrid Weber, who worked as a manager at the Rounders-inspiring Mayfair Club and...
- 3/23/2012
- by Clark Collis
- EW - Inside Movies
Matt Damon really likes poker. In fact, in the newly released trailer for "All In — The Poker Movie" Damon even says that "there is just something cool about being good at poker."
"All In — The Poker Movie" will tell the history of the poker, from its start in the underground clubs of NYC to becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, it became so much of a global fixation that the Us government had to shut down the three largest poker websites in the world.
The poker documentary will attempt to tell the definitive story of the rise, fall and rebirth of poker. Joining Damon in the documentary are Phil Hellmuth Jr, 2003 World Series of Poker winner Chris Moneymaker, Ira Glass, Frank Deford, Annie Duke, Kenny Rogers, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Daniel Negreanu.
"All In — The Poker Movie" hits theaters March 23. It’ll also be available on iTunes April 24.
"All In — The Poker Movie" will tell the history of the poker, from its start in the underground clubs of NYC to becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, it became so much of a global fixation that the Us government had to shut down the three largest poker websites in the world.
The poker documentary will attempt to tell the definitive story of the rise, fall and rebirth of poker. Joining Damon in the documentary are Phil Hellmuth Jr, 2003 World Series of Poker winner Chris Moneymaker, Ira Glass, Frank Deford, Annie Duke, Kenny Rogers, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Daniel Negreanu.
"All In — The Poker Movie" hits theaters March 23. It’ll also be available on iTunes April 24.
- 3/11/2012
- by Crystal Bell
- Huffington Post
Poker continues to be a hugely popular game, and one that.s made its way into modern day popular culture, due in large part to televised poker tournaments, celebrity interest, and of course online games. The documentary film All In - The Poker Movie looks at the game of poker, from its initial rise, fall and major comeback in America. Directed by Douglas Tirola, All In looks at the history of the card game from the days when it was played underground in New York City clubs, to its more recent popularity, which includes the online playing and gambling. While poker is played all over the world, from the looks of the trailer for All In, the focus of the documentary is on the history and impact of the game in America, as discussed by celebrities and poker players like Matt Damon and 2003 World Series of Poker winner Chris Moneymaker.
- 3/7/2012
- cinemablend.com
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Rounders and Swingers (Blu-ray) I don't remember the last time I watched Swingers, but I previewed this Blu-ray and was laughing a lot. It's also amazing to see Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau so much younger and so much skinnier and yet their style of acting hasn't changed in the slightest. I wouldn't say Swingers is a must own on Blu-ray, but if you don't have it and do enjoy it, you may want to consider it.
As for Rounders, I have loved this movie ever since first seeing it and it is one I have watched several times, but it...
One quick note before we start. I have adjusted the design of this article slightly and you may need to clean your cache or refresh the page to reload the stylesheet in order for it to appear properly.
Rounders and Swingers (Blu-ray) I don't remember the last time I watched Swingers, but I previewed this Blu-ray and was laughing a lot. It's also amazing to see Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau so much younger and so much skinnier and yet their style of acting hasn't changed in the slightest. I wouldn't say Swingers is a must own on Blu-ray, but if you don't have it and do enjoy it, you may want to consider it.
As for Rounders, I have loved this movie ever since first seeing it and it is one I have watched several times, but it...
- 8/23/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
Bambi II: Special Edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (2006)
Synopsis: Bambi, one of the silver screen.s most cherished characters, makes his triumphant return. The eagerly awaited next chapter of Bambi.s unforgettable story continues for a whole new generation in a film that.s sure to delight your entire family. Join Bambi as he reunites with his father, the Great Prince, who must now raise the young fawn and teach him the ways of the forest. But in the adventure of a lifetime, the proud parent discovers that there is much that he can learn from his spirited young son. Thumper, Flower, Owl, and your favorite characters return . and you.ll meet some wonderful new friends . as Bambi.s magnificent legacy continues. Illustrated in the breathtaking animation style of the original classic and bursting with new songs, Bambi II...
Bambi II: Special Edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo (2006)
Synopsis: Bambi, one of the silver screen.s most cherished characters, makes his triumphant return. The eagerly awaited next chapter of Bambi.s unforgettable story continues for a whole new generation in a film that.s sure to delight your entire family. Join Bambi as he reunites with his father, the Great Prince, who must now raise the young fawn and teach him the ways of the forest. But in the adventure of a lifetime, the proud parent discovers that there is much that he can learn from his spirited young son. Thumper, Flower, Owl, and your favorite characters return . and you.ll meet some wonderful new friends . as Bambi.s magnificent legacy continues. Illustrated in the breathtaking animation style of the original classic and bursting with new songs, Bambi II...
- 8/22/2011
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
When last we left Mike McDermott he was in a New York City cab, heading down Broadway, on his way to Las Vegas and the World Series of Poker. The year was 1998 and Miramax's poker movie Rounders, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, made a paltry $23 million at the box office. Fortunately for us, the movie was ahead of its time. Soon after the film's release, the world of poker changed drastically. The invention of card cameras and the 2003 $2.5 million Main Event victory of everyman Chris Moneymaker, who cites Rounders as one of his biggest influences, made the game of poker boom in a huge way. In 1999, the year that Damon's Rounders character would have played in the World Series Main Event, 393 people competed and the winner made $1 million. Seven years later, 8,773 competed in the same event with the winner taking home $12 million. So though Rounders was a theatrical bust,...
- 6/6/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
Tune in alerts for the highest rated poker show - National Heads Up Poker Championship, which will air the quarterfinals of the 2011 tournament on NBC this Sun., May 15. A full TV schedule and the match ups for the weekend are listed below for your reference. Popular and well-established poker players such as Jonathan Duhamel, Chris Moneymaker, Erik Seidel and Vanessa Selbst will face off on the tables during this weekend.s TV broadcast installment. For the seventh straight year, a field of 64 of the world.s elite poker players will go head-to-head in some of the most aggressive poker playing around. Filmed in Caesars Palace Poker Room in March, the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship is a...
- 5/12/2011
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of interviews with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 CineVegas Film Festival. “All In” (USA, 2009) World Premiere Director: Douglas Tirola Cast: Matt Damon, Frank DeFord, Annie Duke, Ira Glass, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Phil Hellmuth, Howard Lederer, James McManus, Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Tilly Tells the story of poker focusing on why one of our nation’s oldest games has had …...
- 6/12/2009
- indieWIRE - People
"What's the difference between a large cheese pizza and a professional poker player? A large cheese pizza can feed a family of four." —Five-time World Series Of Poker bracelet-winner Chris Ferguson A thought: Has there been a more influential film in the last 10 or 12 years than Rounders? The question sounds ridiculous on its face, since there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about its neo-noir trappings (familiar from other John Dahl films, like Red Rock West and The Last Seduction) or its story about the powerful and sometimes destructive bonds of friendship. And yet how many movies can claim to have lit the fuse on a multi-billion-dollar industry? There's been some chicken-or-the-egg argument about how the "poker boom" started, but little argument over when: The 2003 World Series Of Poker, when an accountant from Tennessee by the magical name of Chris Moneymaker won first prize in the main...
- 10/30/2008
- by Scott Tobias
- avclub.com
The world of high-stakes poker provides the backdrop for "Deal", a latecomer to the card-playing movie game that brings nothing new or compelling to the table.
Directed and co-written by Gil Cates Jr., the dull production obviously sees itself as an updated "Cincinnati Kid" for the World Poker Tour set, but the end result and its characters have all the originality and dramatic depth of a TV telecast.
This MGM release might be ideally timed to ride in on the wave created by the sleeper hit "21," but potential audiences shouldn't have any problem recognizing they're being dealt an inferior hand.
Meet Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison), a cocky Yale University senior who wins an Internet Texas Hold'em poker tournament and has his sights set on the real deal.
As luck would have it, he catches the eye of Tommy Vinson (an oddly made-up Burt Reynolds), a faded poker legend who gave up the game 20 years ago to save his marriage.
Vinson takes Stillman under his tutelage and teaches him that it's ultimately more important to play your fellow players than the cards you hold in your hand.
But when a pretty girl (Shannon Elizabeth) inadvertently causes a rift between them, teacher and student face off as adversaries in the World Poker Tour, along with such real-life Tour figures as Chris Moneymaker, Isabelle Mercier and circuit regular Jennifer Tilly, playing a lightly fictionalized version of her competitive self.
In his efforts to lend his film that authenticity, right down to the TV camera angles and main event graphics, Cates has sacrificed the crucial cinematic element, and the script, co-written with Screen Gems marketing president Marc Weinstock, simply shuffles all the usual cliches.
There's more character development found on those face cards than the stock, surface attributes given to the roles handed to Young Gun Harrison, old pro Reynolds and hooker-with-the-heart-of-gold Elizabeth.
Also not helping matters is the deadly staging, which finds the two leads usually sitting around a lot, even when they're not playing the game.
Not surprisingly, the energy level follows suit.
DEAL
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures & Seven Arts Pictures present a Seven Arts/TAG Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Gil Cates Jr.
Screenwriters: Gil Cates Jr., Marc Weinstock
Producers: Michael Arata, Marc Weinstock, Steven Austin
Executive producers: Scott Lazar, Nzinga Garvey, Richard Gabai, Michael Amato
Director of photography: Thomas Harting
Production designer: Frank Zito III
Music: Peter Rafelson
Costume designer: Liz Staub
Editors: Eric Strand, Jonathan Cates
Cast:
Alex Stillman: Bret Harrison
Tommy Vinson: Burt Reynolds
Charlie Adler: Charles Durning
Himself: Vincent Van Patten
Himself: Michael Sexton
Karen "Razor" Jones: Jennifer Tilly
Michelle: Shannon Elizabeth
Helen Vinson: Maria Mason
Mr. Stillman: Gary Grubbs
Running time -- 86 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Directed and co-written by Gil Cates Jr., the dull production obviously sees itself as an updated "Cincinnati Kid" for the World Poker Tour set, but the end result and its characters have all the originality and dramatic depth of a TV telecast.
This MGM release might be ideally timed to ride in on the wave created by the sleeper hit "21," but potential audiences shouldn't have any problem recognizing they're being dealt an inferior hand.
Meet Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison), a cocky Yale University senior who wins an Internet Texas Hold'em poker tournament and has his sights set on the real deal.
As luck would have it, he catches the eye of Tommy Vinson (an oddly made-up Burt Reynolds), a faded poker legend who gave up the game 20 years ago to save his marriage.
Vinson takes Stillman under his tutelage and teaches him that it's ultimately more important to play your fellow players than the cards you hold in your hand.
But when a pretty girl (Shannon Elizabeth) inadvertently causes a rift between them, teacher and student face off as adversaries in the World Poker Tour, along with such real-life Tour figures as Chris Moneymaker, Isabelle Mercier and circuit regular Jennifer Tilly, playing a lightly fictionalized version of her competitive self.
In his efforts to lend his film that authenticity, right down to the TV camera angles and main event graphics, Cates has sacrificed the crucial cinematic element, and the script, co-written with Screen Gems marketing president Marc Weinstock, simply shuffles all the usual cliches.
There's more character development found on those face cards than the stock, surface attributes given to the roles handed to Young Gun Harrison, old pro Reynolds and hooker-with-the-heart-of-gold Elizabeth.
Also not helping matters is the deadly staging, which finds the two leads usually sitting around a lot, even when they're not playing the game.
Not surprisingly, the energy level follows suit.
DEAL
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures & Seven Arts Pictures present a Seven Arts/TAG Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Gil Cates Jr.
Screenwriters: Gil Cates Jr., Marc Weinstock
Producers: Michael Arata, Marc Weinstock, Steven Austin
Executive producers: Scott Lazar, Nzinga Garvey, Richard Gabai, Michael Amato
Director of photography: Thomas Harting
Production designer: Frank Zito III
Music: Peter Rafelson
Costume designer: Liz Staub
Editors: Eric Strand, Jonathan Cates
Cast:
Alex Stillman: Bret Harrison
Tommy Vinson: Burt Reynolds
Charlie Adler: Charles Durning
Himself: Vincent Van Patten
Himself: Michael Sexton
Karen "Razor" Jones: Jennifer Tilly
Michelle: Shannon Elizabeth
Helen Vinson: Maria Mason
Mr. Stillman: Gary Grubbs
Running time -- 86 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 4/25/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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