Rounders-Opinions? (1 Viewer)

[MattG]

Being a card player and frequent visitor to Vegas this is obviously one of my favorite films. I thought Norton and Damon did fantastic jobs. Why do you think this film didn't do as well at the BO?

 

[Scott Van Dyke]

I'm not to sure Matt. I talk this movie up every chance I get. I think it's a victim of the following:

1. Not enough violence / sex / vulgarity to suck in the hardcore crowd

2. To "counter-culturalish" for the mass market

3. Not enough big, big names for the mass market

I loved the everything about the flick though.

 

[Dean Kousoulas]

I also love Rounders. Although I thought Teddy KGB was alittle offbeat, the performances are great.

It probably didn't gross that much cause it actually had a plot to it, and most of the time, it the opposite who make the big $$$

Dean

BTW, why didn't Damon/Norton just go to a casino to raise the money, instead of fooling around with those underground card games?

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

I loved the film. The whole cast was superb, John Malkovich in particular.
BTW, why didn't Damon/Norton just go to a casino to raise the money, instead of fooling around with those underground card games?
Perhaps it said why in the film, but I don't recall anything at the moment. If I were to guess, it would probably be because Worm needed to be able to control the dealing? It's an interesting question because I remember in the film where a group of players would all gather at a table in Vegas and wait for some unsuspecting "cattle" to sit down and proceed to clean them out. You would think they would do that and raise the money...but perhaps that wouldn't have raised enough in the time they had? Looks like I have to do some studying myself.
Bruce

 

[Scott Van Dyke]

When you're good at a particular game such as cards, or billiards, you become a "face". Everybody knows you and will never play you for money. That's why they stayed out of the casinos, and limelight. Precisely why there's no money in playing pool, or hustling for that matter.:frowning:

 

[Jeff Kleist]

because I remember in the film where a group of players would all gather at a table in Vegas and wait for some unsuspecting "cattle" to sit down and proceed to clean them out. You would think they would do that and raise the money...

2 reasons. 1-It was Atlantic City, and 2- Tourists don't carry the kind of scratch you need to hit those bucks

 

[Jacinto]

I really like this movie. My wife and I saw this on our third date, and we both enjoyed it. Unfortunately, all of the suspense was totally lost on me. I have no idea how to play poker, or any card games really (except War and Solitaire), so when the characters would look at their hands, I'd be thinking, "Is that good? What does he need? Who's got the better hand?" It really made me feel like an idiot. Anyway, in spite of my confusion, I thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly the terrific performances.

 

[Hunter P]

For poker players, the movie was a good, respectful view of the world of poker. Sure it had it's share of contrived plot points but it tried not to dumb down the game. For the general audience, it doesn't hold the same interest. Plus, some of the intricacies and jargon of the game would be lost to most.

 

[ChadM]

I am not a poker player or a gambler and give this flick a spin as much as possible.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

 

[KyleRoussel]

I'm going to a poker party friday, so I think I'd better rent it and learn a couple things!

 

[MatS]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, one of the best movies in my collection

 

[Patrick_S]

Another reason for the underground games, none of your winnings are reported to the IRS so of course some could if they so desired avoid paying taxes on the winnings.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

My 4 cents:
I think Rounders is quite underrated, though I'm not really surprised that it didn't make a blip at the box-office.
"Huh? A movie about card players? Let's see Patch Adams instead!"
I've been a fan of John Dahl (Red Rock West, The Last Seduction, Joy Ride, the entirely forgettable Unforgettable and Rounders) for quite some time now, and I think he did a bang-up job of juggling an ensemble cast, a knowing look at a fascinating counter-culture, and a touching look at loyalty among longtime friends.
Norton and Damon are excellent, the background is loaded with superlative guys like John Turturro, Martin Landau, John Malkovich, and Josh Mostel. Plus we get some eye candy with acting skills in the shapes of Gretchen Mol and Famke Janssen.
What's not to like?
I've recommended this flick (as a double feature with Diggstown, perhaps) several times, and I've yet to hear a complaint.
Incidentally, the two screenwriters who made their debut on Rounders also penned the screenplay for the oft-delayed-yet-still-anticiapted Knockaround Guys* - and they'll also be contributing the script on the upcoming Grisham adaptation The Runaway Jury.
(*Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, Dennis Hopper, John Malkovich = I don't care how many times it's been knocked back; I wanna see it!)

 

[Dick]

I don't know, Bruce - I thought Malkovich was the one weak link in this movie. What killed his performance for me was that awful Russian accent - way over the top. I really like Malkovich usually, but the accent strained his credibility. I had no problem with the rest of the movie. I was one of only twelve or so people in the theater when I saw this and I couldn't figure out why it was so underattended.

 

[Frank Sadler]

In a word....MINT !

I adore Rounders.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Rounders is a very underrated movie in my opinion. I thought it was a very interesting look into the world of Poker players/Con artists. Edward Norton at his best!

 

[Chuck C]

"Well like my uncle always said, when the money's gone, it's time to move on....lotsa luck to you, ya secret handshake assholes!"

 

[Chris]

I have never been dealt in on a round of poker, but truly enjoy this movie. The acting is very good, and the general plot synopsis is very good. This is one of those odd movies that *gasp* has a storyline and a through line of action with a real payoff (holy cow, batman!)

Which may be part of why it didn't make the super big bucks. But there is no reason to ever judge a movie by it's box office, a lot of the best films of our times were not giant box office smashes (and think, if we did it the other way, crap movies like Independence Day would be critical darlings..)

 

[John Chow]

I guess I'm in the group of people who didn't really understand it. I know the basics of poker, i.e. what hands beat what, but know nothing about the betting or the way the cards are dealed, etc. I just couldn't really follow what was going on with the games, and I guess to me that's a big part of the movie. I always wonder how people actually end up with good hands in poker, since the couple times we've played in the past, the only way to get decent hands was to throw in 3 wild cards or something silly like that.

 

[Hunter P]

This is exactly what I mean, the general audience are familiar with poker but few know Texas Hold'em. Even fewer are able to figure out why some people win more often than others. This is why this movie didn't connect with the people who are willing to shell out over $100 for easily digestible movies like XXX. I think the movie, sad to say, tried to be too poker literate.
As to why some people seemed always had good hands, that is a movie thing. What they don't show you is that a player may sit for hours waiting and folding until they get a good hand. A good player is patient. Also, in real play, the majority of hands are won with just one or two pair. It would be pretty boring to win a big pot with a pair of nines and yet it happens all the time.