Rounders





I loved Rounders. I don't know if it's because I'm a poker fanatic, but something just clicked between me and this movie. The fast world of poker is displayed perfectly right here. Matt Damon and Edward Norton are both excellent. The story is very good. I enjoyed it a lot. B+

It's been a few years since I've seen this, but it wasn't that great. You would think a movie with Edward Norton and Matt Damon would be a little better, but it didn't have much going for it. I rate it a C.

:thebird: :swear: :Luke: :thebird:

I thought this movie was fabulous. Ed norton and Matt damon were the shit


Very good movie

B+

I take it you disagree with me?! lol

This is the thanks I get for feeling bad for Zingaling posting a thread that hasn't had a response!

In all fairness, it's been a while since I've seen it. I'll raise my grade to a C+ just because the lovely Famke Jansen is in it.

The movie has topped the box-office for a weekend in the USA...

and still has not been released over here in Germany at all.

It's a few years old isnt it? When did it come out in the states?

I think 1998...

Seriously weak movie. Bad storyline, boring, redundant scenarios, and weak acting on the part of two guys that are usually good. I've only walked out of like three movies in my life, and this wasn't one of them, but I was seriously considering it. C-

Which ones did you walk out of?

I was fortunate enough to rent it instead of going to the theater. One thing I hated about the movie was the level of swearing. I'm not against it in a movie, but when it's used in place of any kind of intelligent dialogue, it becomes a problem.

City of Women
Pret-a-Porter
Underground (30 minutes before the end too. lol)

edit* oops, there were actually 4. I didn't make it through Clerks either.

A decent movie with a great cast except for Gretchen Mol. I liked the ending, when Damon didn't walk away a millionarie but walked away content with life and still a Rounder. However, the rest of the movie was not great but I felt was decent leaning towards good.

I thought it was seriously over-rated, but it did nail that type of person. I know a lot of people who are definitely like the characters here, and it was spot on. Not a great movie, but it was decent. B-

Rounders: ****/****

Matt Damon just picks fantastic scripts. It seems that I have really liked almost all of his movies.

One of the most under rated films ever!, 11 April 2005




Rounders is nothing short of hypnotic. It is a film that introduced me and many others to the surreal world of poker. High stakes, Texas Hold Em, winner take all poker. For those unfamiliar with the game, not only is this a perfect tutorial to understand the game, but this is a movie that will entertain you right to the very end.

I like to think that this is just like Rocky. Matt Damon plays Mike McDermott, just like Stallone played Rocky. He has all the talent in the world but he needs to find a way to harness it and get the right opportunity. KGB is a little like Appollo Creed and John Tuturro is like Mickey in some ways. But enough of the comparisons of Rocky.

What makes Rounders so compelling is the interpersonal relationships in the film, no doubt, but let's face it, what really makes the film as vibrant and energetic as it is, is the poker scenes. We are introduced to several games here, namely Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, 7 Card Stud and of course Texas Hold Em. According to Mike, Texas No Limit is the Cadillac of all poker games. He of course got that info from reading books by some of the poker greats such as Phil Helmuth, Amarillo Slim and of course The Godfather of poker, Doyle Brunson. Great detail is spent on the feel of poker in this film. When you are in the poker rooms, you can smell the smoke, taste the mustiness of the air and you can feel the emotions that the players feel. It really is a masterful job by Dahl to convey these emotions. And full credit has to be give to the screenwriters to know the lingo, to mollify us with terms like "flop", "river", "rags" and "bicycle". Rounders helped introduce me to this nefarious world and just like many others before me, I am hooked. Rounders can take credit for that.

What also must be mentioned here is the performances. Like many of the reviewers before me, I was awed by the absolute mastery of these characters by Damon, Norton, Malkovich, Turturro and Landau. My favourite performance is that of John Malkovich. He plays a Russian mobster called KGB. He is a master poker player and in the beginning scene, he takes all of Mike's bankroll as he hits a full house on fourth street, to cripple Mike's smaller boat. Malkovich is a master. He can play any role and he proves it in spades here. Think of his performance in a film like In The Line of Fire or in Of Mice and Men and this is about as diametric from those roles as you can get. There is not one second in the film when you don't believe that he is a Russian mobster with a propensity for gambling. If this film would have been more recognized back in 98, he could have received an Oscar nomination. He is that good. Matt Damon is really a fine actor and this film, while not as known as some of this others, is really a layered performance and one of his best. He plays the young prodigal son here with absolute zeal. Damon has to be one of the best actors working today and seeing as this was one of his first performances after Good Will Hunting, you have to give him that much more credit for taking on such an esoteric role. Kudos to him.

Rounders has grown in reputation over the years to the point where a special edition DVD with the likes of Helmuth, Johnny Chan, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and 2003 WSOP champion Chris Moneymaker providing some excellent and enlightening commentary on the track. If you love this film, it is imperative that you pick up the SE DVD. It will enhance the experience for you and will help you appreciate the film that much more. It is fun and exciting to hear the 4 of them laugh when Mike finally busts KGB using Johnny Chen's methods from his first win in the World Series of Poker. Rounders is a fantastic movie and for those that haven't seen it, you should.

10/10 One of the most under rated films of the last 10 years!

C

Seemed pretty average to me. I would've liked it if the plot was a little more deep, if it was more than just Mike getting rid of Worm's debt, end of movie. Pretty meh.

Then you have no taste in movies.

For poker movies, its a great time.

Up there with 2004's Shade about the mechanics of cards, this movie really gets it right about that aspect of card playing that the movie is about. For anyone that plays holdem enough, they should really get this movie. For other people not that involved in cards, might find it shallow, for thats all its about. And simply, thats all it should be about.

A

At least we appreciate it for its genius, Baumer.

i actually think Rounders is one of the best films of 1998...no joke.

I agree with that, though for 1998, thats not too hard. I think it goes Saving Private Ryan, Lethal Weapon 4, and Rounders. Apart from that its a very forgettable year. Im seriously drawing a blank, I mean I know a lot of movies from that year, but not many I would call good, let alone great. But Rounders was one.

Impressive cast, entertaining at times but flawed in the execution. Gretchen Mol's character was completely unnecessary for the movie for example. Malkovich and Damon are great though. B-

i loved Jon Turturro as well. If I am ever fortunate enough to make a film, I would want him in it, somehow, I wouldn't care how. I love the cast of the film, and if you can ever get the SE on DVD, listen to the commentarty with Chan, Moneymaker, Ferguson and Hellmuth....very entertaining.

yeah, it's quite entertaining. I watched it on dvd a few weeks ago when it came out in germany