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Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Gretchen Mol, Famke Janssen ... see more see more... , John Malkovich , Martin Landau , Michael Rispoli , Melina Kanakaredes , Josh Mostel , Lenny Clarke , Tom Aldredge , Chris Messina

John Dahl directed this exploration of New York private clubs devoted to high-stakes poker, with first-person narration from the film's central figure, law student Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), who los... read more read more...es his entire savings to Russian club owner Teddy KGB (John Malkovich). Mike then turns away from cards, devoting his attentions to his law studies and his live-in girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol), who's concerned when Mike's former gambling buddy Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison. She has good reason to worry, since it takes Worm only a matter of minutes to draw Mike back into poker action. When she learns Mike has returned to the poker clubs, she moves out, and Mike begins to lose interest in his studies. Worm has a pre-prison debt, and the threatening Grama (Michael Rispoli) wants the money. Mike not only indulges the irresponsible Worm, he gets involved in Worm's debts. When Grama demands $15,000 on a five-day deadline, the two buddies go into high gear with a non-stop, no-sleep gambling binge that spirals downward toward an ultimate confrontation with Teddy KGB. Darkened club interiors and New York nights are captured by the cinematography of Jean Yves Escoffier, who moved from French films (the 1991 Les Amants du Pont Neuf) to American movies with the reflective surfaces of Excess Baggage (1997) and the patina of pathos found in Harmony Korine's experimental Gummo (1997). Shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival and the 1998 Montreal Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Flixster Users

86% liked it

74,039 ratings

Critics

64% liked it

78 critics

R, 2 hr. 5 min.

Directed by: John Dahl

Release Date: September 11, 1998

Keywords: poker, gambling

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DVD Release Date: July 3, 2001

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Stats: 5,112 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,112)

  • fb1463751009
    March 10, 2012
    fb1463751009
    can't help but to enjoy this movie. I absolutely loved john malkovich's role in the movie. plus, this movie didn't have ridiculous monster hands like the ones in casino royale. nothing more but just an enjoyable movie. I highly recommend it
  • blkbomb
    August 19, 2011
    blkbomb
    Mike McDermott: It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money. 

    "In The Game Of Life... Play The Hands You're Dealt."

    Too be completely honest there was really no way I was not going to like this. Matt Damon and two of my favorite actors, Edward Norton and John Malkovich in a Pok... read moreer movie. That's pretty cool and the movie turns out to be just as cool as I thought it would. It probably helps if you're a fan and player of poker. I enjoyed the film because I knew what the acts were saying, but if I didn't understand the logic of the games I probably would have had a hard time liking it. So keep that in mind if you aren't in the know when it comes to poker.

    Matt Damon plays a straight playing and very talented poker player. He can tell what you have as soon as you look at your cards. Edward Norton plays a schemer who always finds himself in trouble. Then you got John Turturro who plays a Grinder. He wins just enough to get by and never takes too big a risk. Malkovich plays a big shot Russian who owns his own club. Gretchen Mol is very good and easy on the eyes as the girlfriend Mike.

    The story is engaging and it's incredibly fun to watch Norton and Damon onscreen together. The poker scenes are surprisingly entertaining. After the first part of the movie, it's pretty obvious what is going to happen though. We know who Damon is going to be in the last showdown with. But it all still works effectively because Damon gives an amazing performance. The movie easily could have been dull and boring, and might be to people who don't know anything about poker. But for those who do, the movie is extremely watchable and easy to like.
  • shawnewing92
    April 4, 2011
    shawnewing92
    A shallow film with some good characters but leaves nothing memorable.
  • sanjurosamurai
    February 22, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    a unique plot, an excellent script, and picture perfect performances make this an excellent and underrated film. fits in nicely with films like 'the hustler' in a semi sports sub genre.
  • imrealgod
    January 19, 2011
    imrealgod
    After losing almost everything, Mike (Matt Damon) decides never to gamble again and leads a satisfied life with his girlfriend until he is re-united with his childhood mate Worm (Edward Norton) after his release from prison. Mike feels slightly obliged to Worm since he prefers im... read moreprisonment to rating out Mike's name. Being attracted back to gambling, Mike ultimately ends up losing his girlfriend whom he'd promised not to gamble again. Besides, he couldn't pursue his career in law adequately. The two friends get together and are out to sweep the town so as to repay a debt, but things don't go exactly as they'd planned.

    I was surprised when I came to know that they're making a sequel to this. This movie itself was hardly interesting. The screenplay sucked and Edward Norton's character was not properly developed. Hope they won't repeat the same mistakes in the sequel.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    August 16, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "We can't run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us."

    A young man (Damon) is a reformed gambler who must return to playing big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks.

    REVIEW

    Mike M... read morecDermott is a crackerjack gambler who has reformed his ways, and finally broken his lifelong gambling addiction. He's a promising law student who's destined to do great things, but it doesn't last when an old friend and gambling addict of his (Norton) is released from prison, only to resume his reckless ways and draw him back into the high stakes. Smart, intriguing story with hip dialogue and colorful characters played to perfection by an excellent cast. The target audience is obviously those who love to gamble, but there's enough twists and surprises to satisfy a few others as well. Malkovich makes the most of his interesting supporting role as a slick Russian gangster.
  • MrMarakai
    June 12, 2010
    MrMarakai
    Director John Dahl done a couple of great modern noir films in the 90's that shamefully went unrecognised (Red Rock West & The Last Seduction) but finally he got some attention with this film, thanks to a fine cast.
    Mike (Matt Damon) is a law student who happens to be more inter... read moreested in playing poker. He has the skills but stupidly lost all his money to Russian gangster "Teddy KGB" (John Malkovich) and is now on the straight and narrow and has promised his girlfriend that he's finished with that life. That is until his long time friend and poker partner "Worm" (Edward Norton) is released from prison. "Worm" owes money all over town and the ever loyal Mike is drawn back into the game and back into the life he doesn't need or want.
    The story is formulaic and has been covered many times before but what really makes the film worthwhile are some great performances. Damon is reliable as always with nice supporting roles for John Turturro and Martin Landau. However, the film does tend to sag a little but really kicks back into gear whenever Edward Norton appears onscreen. He is absolutely superb as the aptly named "Worm", a detestable slimeball of a character, who causes more hassle than he's worth. Worth seeing for Norton's performance alone.
  • SirPant
    September 30, 2009
    SirPant
    A bit over rated this film. It was ok but nothing special. Everyone did well apart from Malkovich who stank to high heaven, he should wipe it off his CV!
  • jlewis07
    August 21, 2009
    jlewis07
    A predictable, but entertaining film with a great cast and solid performances.
  • danperry17
    April 24, 2009
    danperry17
    This was very disappointing. Matt Damon was flat, and though Ed Norton was good, he couldn't save it. Complete waste of talent: John Turturro and John Malkovich also fell victim to this awful script. The main question is this: does the main character have a gambling addiction, or... read more is this a game of skill at which he's talented? Unfortunately, not even the writer seems to care.

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Critic Reviews

Rita Kempley
March 25, 2008
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

The wholesome pup's poker face alone, however, hardly accounts for the film's failure to thrill. Damon's character doesn't really have that much stake in the story's outcome. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
March 25, 2008
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Intermittently engaging but dramatically slack. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
March 25, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Gretchen Mol, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Martin Landau, and Famke Janssen costar; they're all pretty good, but not good enough to make this 1998 feature worth seeing. Full Review

Liam Lacey
July 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Though it's a good-looking flick with some smart acting and a few flashy runs, it barely breaks even dramatically, and feels, overall, like a good chance wasted. Full Review

Peter Travers
May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

In fighting to show the psychological complexities in Mike that the script ignores, Damon plays it like a rounder instead of a grinder. This kid still has surprises up his sleeve.

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Though Damon is an actor who's flatly impossible not to root for, the longer this film lasts the less patience we have to stay with him. Full Review

Julie Hinds
January 1, 2000
Julie Hinds, San Jose Mercury News

Norton's acting and Dahl's gift for sustaining a tone save Rounders from completely floundering.

J. Hoberman
January 1, 2000
J. Hoberman, Village Voice

A disappointing mediocrity. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Mischievously entertaining! Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
January 1, 2000
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

According to director John Dahl's Rounders, professional poker players are very, very interesting people -- for about five minutes. Full Review

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