The first time I saw this I was not that impressed - but catching it again - it is a revelation - it actually works much better than I remember. Eric Bana plays a poker pro stuck in the twilight of Las Vegas. He is a mix of serious and compulsive, a dangerous mix for any gambler (And he is willing to gamble). He meets Drew Barrymore and fun ensues.
What got me is that the poker world is really well done - not only did they get a large number of poker stars to do walk-ons, they also avoided the dreadful AA syndrome, where every hand is hugely unlikely - this is well-done, genuine, and makes for a good film.
Bana is good, but not great, he doesn't quite have enough depth to make this more than basically interesting, and fun.
All in all, much much better than when I saw it first time - it holds up well as one of the better films about poker and poker players.
What got me is that the poker world is really well done - not only did they get a large number of poker stars to do walk-ons, they also avoided the dreadful AA syndrome, where every hand is hugely unlikely - this is well-done, genuine, and makes for a good film.
Bana is good, but not great, he doesn't quite have enough depth to make this more than basically interesting, and fun.
All in all, much much better than when I saw it first time - it holds up well as one of the better films about poker and poker players.