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Rounders
    Title: Rounders
    Director: John Dahl
    Starring: Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich
    Length: 121 minutes
    Date: 1998
    Rating: Rated R for pervasive strong language, some sexuality and brief drug use

    Rating:

    Available at: Amazon.com ($16.99 w/Free Shipping available)


    INTRODUCTION

    This film has single-handedly motivated millions of people to play poker competitively. Somewhat of a disapointment among the masses, it has attained the ultimate cult status in the poker world. It’s rare that you can play in a poker game with friends and go through the whole night without someone quoting at least one line from the movie. Ask a random person how many times they have seen the movie and they will probably say never. Ask a poker player the same question and you will rarely get an answer below 20.

    THE PLOT

    Establishing a conspiratorial tone with low-key voice-over narration, professional poker player Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a clean-cut, high-stakes poker gambler, is the tour guide who ushers us into the smoky netherland of illicit poker. According to Mike, success in poker comes as much from reading the person as it does from the cards he holds.

    After losing $30,000 to a Russian gangster named Teddy KGB on one hand, Mike quits the game to focus on his legal studies and to appease his girlfriend Jo. Some time later, Mike's best friend Worm (Edward Norton) gets out of prison and the two of them start playing poker seriously again. This affects Mike's relationship with Jo an she ends up dumping him. It also affects his academic career as Mike pays minimum attention to his studies and drifts into being a quasi-law student who never attends class or does any work (in other words, he becomes a normal college guy). Mike and Worm then set out on a mission to earn enough money playing poker to pay off Worm's gambling debt that he piled up before going to prison.

    Spoiler: Highlite box to read the spoiler.

    After accumulating half of the money required to pay off Worm's gambling debts, they decide to play in a big game together with a bunch of cops. Worms cheats throughout the game in order to rake in the money quicker. The cops catch them cheating, give them some serious Rodney King action, and take all their money (including the half of the money needed to pay back Worm's debt). This severe ass beating creates a divide in the relationship between Mike and Worm and they go their separate ways. Mike then borrows $10,000 from his law professor and sits down with KGB for a rematch. Mike ends up turning that $10,000 into $55,000 then pays back the professor, pays back Worm's debt that he inherited and ends up with the same $30,000 that he started with. He then gets in a cab to go to Las Vegas to play in some high stakes games (as if the games at KGB's joint were low-limit Party Poker games).


    CHARACTERS

    "Rounders" benefits from some colorful supporting performances. The chameleon-like Edward Norton injects a lot of energy as the jittery, impulsive Worm. It's especially fun to watch the animated Worm during the card-playing scenes. On the other hand, some viewers were probably dismayed that Matt Damon was playing a poker genius so quickly after playing a genius in Good Will Hunting. The biggest criticism of the his role was that he was too clean cut. Apparently these viewers were disapointed the poker savant wasn't portrayed as a 300-pound thug-like ex-con because, you know, playing poker for money outside casinos IS illegal and everything. Martin Landau plays the cerebral, philosophical Judge Petrovsky who advices Mike on his life's choices. John Turturro plays Joey Knish, a gambler who doesn't take risks and plays just to make a living. John Malkovich's engaging performance is especially good (and almost cheesy) as KGB, a Russian poker player/gangster with an over-the-top Russian accent. Also worth noting is the undernourished role of Jo, played by Gretchen Mol.

    One criticism about the characters was that none of the main characters seem vivid. But they are not supposed to be vivid. They are professional poker players and not gamblers. They play a million hands of poker over a lifetime and no one hand will make them or break them. Their grind-out-a-living lifestyle is the gambling equivalent of a 9-5 job. How exciting would it be to film your 9-to-5 cubicle job? Not much. And that's the point. These are everyday guys who go to work every day and put in 8 hours just like you. The poker-as-a-career aspect of this movie isn't about a bunch of guys wildly betting their life savings. It is a juxtaposition of the pure gamblers who have no legitimate potential of accomplishing anything as a poker player and the "real" poker players who are interested in building skills and growing as a player - and if you don't understand the difference then you weren't paying attention. Real poker players aren't going to jump up and down every time they get a full house. One of the scenes that illustrates this perfectly is where Joey Kinish interrupts Mike and his law school buddies in the law library. Mike's girlfriend Jo, who presumably considers Kinish an aquaintance, says "Hello" and asks him how he is doing. After a contemplative pause he answers in a flat tone " . . the same" - as in, the same as I always have been and the same as I always will be - because his goad is steadiness. If Kinish were a professional investor - he would be be investing in bonds, while Mike McDermott would be a day-trader and Worm would probably be trading penny stocks and losing his ass.

    Another criticism by some reviewers was that there is no character growth. I'm not sure what movie they were watching but most of the characters in the end moved to places where they want to be. Mike drops law and decides to devote his full energy to his poker passion. KGB realizes he isn't God. Jo realizes that she and Mike live in different worlds and breaks up with him without looking back, presumably to start a new relationship with some Starbucks-drinking, briefcase-carrying, BMW-driving, Khakis-wearing, law-school-graduating yuppie. The only character that doesn't grow is Worm, and that was a deliberate move because you know 20 years from now he will still be getting his ass kicked when his old, arthritic fingers are "catching hangers" on every other deal of the cards.

    THE POKER

    The poker playing scenes are some of the best in the movie because of the amount of attention paid to the details of poker playing by director John Dahl and writers, David Levien and Brian Koppelman. They delve deeply into the subculture of poker, drench the dialogue in authentic poker lingo, explain all the psychological nuances of the game, and show all the subdued emotions and excitement of the players. Dahl's talent for creating an atmosphere of suspense makes for some tense and exciting poker hands.

    This movie, in my opinion, gets underappreciated for the fact that it was a movie before it's time. It was basically a precursor to the huge explosion in the popularity in poker. At first glance, some viewers might look at Mike's quest to turn his 5 figure bankroll into millions as an unbelievable Hollywood script twist but the winner of the WSOP for the last 2 years has been an amateur player (Moneymaker and Raymer) who has turned $10,000 into a few million. These days, there are tons of players out there entering satellites for the World Poker Tour and WSOP. And when Joey Kinish tries to convince Mike to take fewer risks in order to make a more certain living at cards and tells him "I don't have dreams of winning the World Series of Poker on ESPN", this shows the decision that most good players go through - should I grind out a moderate low-risk, low-return living or go for the big money and fame? Many players face that decision today as there are players out there grinding out $30,000 a year playing 4 $2/$4 tables at a time 5 hours a day and other players who are trying to score a big tourney win.

    The authenticity of the poker playing scenes is something most poker players can appreciate. Everyone enjoyed the cameo by Johnny-fucking-Chan. Another scene I remember is when Worm is playing against two Russian players who know each other. During the middle of the hand they start speaking Russian to each other which forces Worm to complain: "English only at the table!". With the popularity of online poker came a growing suspicion of colluding among players which inspired the rule that you can only speak English in most online poker games.

    ANALYSIS

    Part of the value of this movie is that it attempts to break down the stereotypes associated with poker. There has always been some type of criminal element injected into poker and the people who play it. I'm not just talking about the illegal status of underground games but also the actual game itself. People have always thought of professional poker players as con men who sit down with novice players and steal their money. In poker you aren't trying to "con" anyone. If two players sit down at a card table they both know the object of the game is to take the money away from the other person. To be good at poker you need to read people. Admittedly, being street smart and being able to read people usually go hand in hand, but scruffy street-wise underground poker thugs don't have a monopoly on the ability to analyze human behavior. Most players today are normal, intelligent people. Even with the recent increase in the legitimacy of poker as a skill game, the film still gets caged in these stereotypes despite the fact that the film offers you a chance to increase your understanding of the game and the people who play it.

    One review I read said that "'Rounders' offers no powerful insight into the world of gambling." Really? The main point of all the poker-related plot was to show people that poker is a skill game and not the same as playing the lotto, which is something that the general public doesn't understand. You can see the breadcrumbs the writers stuck in the script to educate viewers that playing poker wasn't like playing the lotto. Like the scene where Mike and Worm are trying to figure out a way to make a lot of quick money playing poker to pay back Worm's debt and Worm says "We might as well play the lotto". Big fucking breadcrumb. The scene where Mike is chastised by his oh-so-concerned nagaholic girlfriend illustrates the attempt of writers to educate the audience on the legitimacy of the game. When she complains that he might lose his money again, he shoots back "It's a skill game Jo!". When I heard this line I was immediately convinced that this line was not directed at Jo as much as it was at the audience - to educate their roulette-playing asses.

    Another unjust criticism is that Mike is a self-destructing gambling addict. Ultimately he loses Jo and law school to poker but his separation from those aspects of his life was something he wanted but didn't realize it. People who are addicted can't stop - that's what addicted means. After the first scene where he loses his life savings he realizes he might not be able to go to law school anymore so he stopped playing when he is losing. He stopped when it was interfering with his life. He did this by giving up the game and devoting his life to his girlfriend and school. That kind of person is not an addict. An addiction is something that interferes with other things that you want to do in life. He didn't really want to be dating what's-her-name or going to law school. Some critics thought that "the movie takes the easy way out, and lets Mike off the hook." Off the hook for what? Oh, right, I forgot - because he was "gambling".

    Another criticism I didn't wholly agree with was the supposedly unbelievable relationships between the characters. Some people couldn't believe that Mike was friends with Worm when Worm was clearly no good and getting Mike into all sorts of trouble. They thought Mike was "too intelligent" to have a friend like Worm - as if emotions have no effect on a relationship. To me the picture was clear. When they were young, Mike and Worm were a couple of trouble-causing kids. Worm gets into big-time trouble and goes to prison. When he gets out of prison, Mike and Worm resume their friendship. Worm gets Mike into trouble which makes Mike realize that they have grown apart so then Mike cuts Worm off. Not unbelievable to me. The other relationship viewers had trouble with was the one between Mike and Jo because Mike shows no loyalty to her when she stuck by him after he lost all his money even though Mike shows loyalty to Worm, who is an asshole. But Jo didn't stick by him. This would have meant she supported him - which she didn't. She didn't agree with the life he was living (even though it wasn't hurting her) and I'm sure she had a laundry-list of "life changes" that he forced him to make in order for her to stay. Their split had more to do with the fact that she fundamentally didn't understand him at all more than it had to do with any gambling or any gambling-related lies. Are we supposed to believe he is indebted to her because he lost his own money? As if by losing his own money he had wronged her and had to pay her back. Now, if that $30,000 was her money, that would have been a different story. If he had taken your 401(k) money and gambled it away then you could nag him, OK princess? Apparently some people thought Mike was being selfish by wanting to play poker even though it was Jo seemed to be worried about herself ("I stood by you while you lost it all and I don't think I can go through that again"). I think the main problem most people had with their relationship was that the viewers were disapointed that the all-American boy Matt Damon lied to his girlfriend. Oh well, I guess there will be no more trips to Ikea together to go lamp-shopping.

    Another criticism - The voiceover was annoying. In my opinion, the voiceover offers rich narration to provide just enough explanation about the game to clear up some of its mysteries and to explain his character's motivations. In a game where most of the action is going on inside a person's mind. the audience is hungry to know what's he is thinking. Mike's private dialogue with the viewers satisfies their need.

    MY CRITICISMS

    The most unrealistic point in the movie to me was when is watching the judges game and he perfectly predicts every card that every player had and was waiting to get. This wouldn't happen. At best, he could tell who was strong and who was weak but that's about all. I have done this countless times against one hand but not a whole table.

    The only other problem I had was that the end of the movie was too predictable. Mike's Rocky Balboa-like victory at the end was a bit too calculated.

    CONCLUSION

    Rounders provides a fascinating look at the underground poker world. David Levien and Brian Koppelman's story does a very good, if mechanical, job of taking the audience into its seedy milieu while seasoning it with just enough humor to keep it from getting monotonous. The movie's greatest asset is it's attention to detail. The writers have an acute understanding of the game and the poker world, making extensive use of insider vernacular, which lends the film an air of authenticity. Thanks to the writers though, any poker neophytes will be able to easily understand the insider dialogue through context.

    Although some critics thought the movie had a slow pace, I think this was because the movie doesn't try and be too smart for its own good. Although the movie has a formula script with a predictable ending, the movie is in no rush to get you there. This is because the movie is really about the small moments where the journey itself is the reward. Although Mike is the victor at the end he hasn't really won anything - he simply broke even - which puts the Rocky Balboa-ending a little more in context. His real goal was to win the World Series of Poker and if you take this grandiose plan into account then the movie simply goes sideways - in a good way. The movie doesn't end at the end, it ends in the beginning. It chronicles his growth from someone who doesn't know where he wants to be to someone who knows and decides to take the first step. The whole movie is pretty much the first step - a poker prequel so to speak. If a movie were made about Doyle Brunson, this is what his life would be like before he moved to Las Vegas - playing in underground games before making it to the bigtime.

    Some viewers were disappinted because the movie doesn't realize its potential. Because gamblers have always made for interesting characters studies, "Rounders" is a movie in which the central character is not nearly as fascinating as the fringe players that surround him. Some people wanted it be a character study of gamblers and tell a good human story. I'm not even sure this is even possible because most of those types of movies are shown through the judgmental eyes of conventional society that portray the character in a bad light. This is exactly what the movie wants to avoid. Rounders began to meander in this direction and by setting the atmosphere and started to explore deeper issues like friendships and relationships but, unfortunately, the script's allegiance to the poker story meant that it had to keep all the subplots as subplots and therefore had to neatly wrap them up because of simple time constraints.

    ROUNDERS FACTS

    - Rounders was set in New York City but all of the law school scenes were filmed in and around Rutgers Law School in Newark, NJ.

    - Worm was originally supposed to smoke but avid nonsmoker 'Norton, Edward' refused.

    - Matt Damon and 'Norton, Edward' played the $10,000 buy-in Texas Hold 'Em championship event at the 1998 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. During the first of four days, Matt Damon was knocked out by former world champion and poker legend Doyle Brunson.

    - John Turturro's character, Knish, was based on the unnamed character played by 'Michael Clapsadle' in 1997's "Casino's are coming to Detroit". Writer David Levien, had been in Livonia, Michigan during the shooting of the movie and decided that he wanted to expand on the character.

    - Screenwriter Brian Koppelman came up with the idea for the script when he heard about a friend of a friend who made more money as a "rounder" - a poker hustler - than from his day job on Wall Street. He met the guy on a street corner in Manhattan, they went down to one of the clubs, where Koppelman, a former artist-and-repertoire scout for a record company, was immediately hooked by the exotic environment. When he got home at 2:30 in the morning, he called old friend Levien and told him about this great movie idea.

    - Matt Damon got paid $600,000 for his part in the movie.

    ROUNDERS QUOTES

    Worm: "In the poker game of life, women are the rake . . . they are the fucking rake."

    Kinish: "And I need a blowjob from Christy Turlington."

    Mike: "Listen, if you can't spot the sucker at the table in your first half hour at the table then you ARE the sucker."

    Mike: "I felt like Buckner walking back into Shea"

    KGB: "I'm just paying you with your own money from the last time I stick it in you"

    KGB" "He beat me straight up. Pay him... Pay that man his money."

    Worm: "Hey, thats a hell of an elk."

    Worm: "...You should have played those Kings, Mike."

    Worm: "You know what always cheers me up? Rolled up aces over kings. Check-raising stupid tourists and taking huge pots off of them. Stacks and towers of checks I can't even see over. Playing all-night high-limit Hold'em at the Taj, where the sand turns to gold."

    Mike: "I'm sorry John, I don't remember."

    Mike: "I have what is called the wheel. It has earthy undertones, a smooth draw and enough kick to give me the high and the low."

    Worm: "Fuck you and your never ending string of boats."

    Worm: "When the money is gone it's time to move on."

    Mike: "You fucked his mother."

    Worm: "If you want to see this next card then you will stop speaking fuckin Sputnik."

    Mike: "Not hungry?"

    Worm: "..with those fake versace shirts and shit?"

    Worm: "I need your charity like i need your cock up my ass."

    Mike: "Amarillo Slim the greatest proposition gambler of all time held to his fathers maxim, you can shear a sheep many times but skin him only once".

    Mike: "It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money"

    Mike: "In confessions of a winning poker player Jack King said few players recall big pots they have won strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career."

    Random Guy: "Does he look like a man beaten by jacks?"



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    COMMENTS:
    PokerDav
    February 14, 2008
    Well here is how I look at it... He ended with just over 60 (which if the math is going to work out, is probably close to 61) -15 to KGB/Grammer -6 to the chesterfield -10 to the professor =30 Now as for how he TURNED it into 60 (obviously doubling the 20 is only 40), when Mike steps back to the table after the famous "stick it in you" line, he says "reload at anytime". I've always presumed that KGB "reloaded" for another 20....

    HomePokerGames Admin
    March 16, 2007
    yeah, the I'm not sure if the money does add up and there were numerous threads around the internet having people outline where the money went. I think it was implied there was a few miscellaneous thousand dollars that were spent or made here and there. Another thing about the movie was that I was a little surprised they didn't re-release the movie around 2004 or so after moneymaker made poker popular. I think they could have clocked another $20 million or so at the box office without much marginal cost. There were many people, including me, who also never got to see it on the big screen.

    Osceana
    March 16, 2007
    This is a great review. I agree with pretty much everything said here. This movie cheers me up, and encourages me. I kind of like how this movie equates life to poker in an metaphorical way. I find myself referencing this movie a lot. My favorite scene/quote in the movie though is when he pulls Knish aside and tells him his story about beating Johnny Chan at the round of poker. I love it. Or, Martin Landau's line, "We can't run from who we are; our destiny chooses us...." What an awesome fucking movie. The only thing i didn't understand/like was the math of how he got back to 30,000. I can't remember how much he said he turned his money into, but it didn't add up to me, i remember. I'll have to check it out again. It's been a few months since i've seen it, but i've been feeling the urge. I've seen the movie hundreds of times. By the way, here's a link to a script of the movie: [url]http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/r/rounders-script-transcript-poker-damon.html[/url]

    Unregistered
    maybe some answers April 23, 2006
    As far as how Mike ends up with that much money at the end is sort of a mystery. I agree that on the surface the math does not add up. If you recall however, when Mike wins the 10K and KGB talks him into playing again, as they are discussing raisings the blinds Mike says, "and feel free to reload at any time". I may not have the quote exactly right but you get the idea. Teddy may have gotten low on chips and got some more. Besides, they weren't paying a tournament. KGB could have brought more to the table for the second game for all we know. My point is that we are never really certain how much money was involved on KGB's side. As far as why Grandma was pissed. I Think that there are two reasons. 1) Grandma was Worms "lacky" before worm went to prison. I think that Grandma bought up worms debt figuring on not betting paid. He just wanted to have leverage over worm and get worm in trouble with KGB (and the russian mob). It was a revenge thing. 2) Even though Grandma got paid back, it was really with his backers or partners money. His partner (KGB) being who he is, may or may not pay grandma. Actually Grandma probably borrowed KGBs money to buy worms debt. Grandma is really in a bad spot.

    Andrew BCPoker
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    I am kinda like Kinish myself. Using low limit poker to make a living, feeling comfortable where I am. I could relate to his statements to Matt Damon about his "Pipe dreams" to win the world series of poker, and how he grinds out small wins every day to feed his family.

    pebbesen
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    amazing movie full of suspense. very real poker unlike that new show on espn (good show bad poker). this movie prolly got more kids in to poker then any other movie ever made. one love and burn one. oh and i love Joey Kinish because he is jewish(or looks jewish) and i just think that alone is funny.

    Hydrophobia
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    Norton should have gotten an Academy Award for best supporting actor. He nailed the character. Who hasn't had a "worm" in their life. Turturro did an excellent job with the character he had to work with. One of the quotes I feel that was missed above was when "worm" tells "Knish" "Keep up the noble work you're doing". All in all a 5 Star performance, a made straight on the flop.

    JohnnyCache
    Worm April 20, 2006
    The only problem I had, really, with this movie is: Why is Grandma so pissed at the end? I mean, KGB, I get. He's getting his money, but he doesn't like to lose, I see that. But Granma had nothing on the line, and he gets his money out of what mike won from teddy, so why is he so ticked? Comments about the review: The "English at the table" rule dates from the old west or at LEAST the turn of the century - one of my favorite cardrooms has a sign with the rule on it, and the *sign* has to be 50 years older then I am. Also, I think worm actually smoked in the movie (although norton just held a lit smoke or puffed on an unlit one) but the scenes were cut, I'm sure I remember them griping about it on the commentary, how they got norton to do it and then didn't end up using it.

    hutch
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    My favorite movie..To reply to stealyourface...there were "titties" in the movie. There is a scene where Worm goes to a strip club, meets up with Gramo (or whatever), and gets beaten up and his money is stolen by Gramo.

    cinotto
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    Grandma: Take it back teddyKGB: NO. No more. Not tonight.

    clown love
    Grandma April 20, 2006
    so sexy

    Danh72
    worm April 20, 2006
    [email]Danh72@yahoo.com[/email] the money matt damon won at the end was 40 thousand 10 doubled then 20 doubled but he pays back 15 to the russian 9 to pay off worms debt and ten back to the professor and has 30 for vegas how does he have that much money? this is what bothered me about the movie if I am wrong please email me. thanks

    stealyourface
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    A sweet movie. You know you've accomplished something great when you've inspired millions to participate in something that many people call immoral. It's lines have become a staple at any poker table, almost annoyingly so. And on another note, Mike def should have banged Petra. Some titties in this movie would have been much appreciated.

    Ash bassman786
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    Totally my favorite because the guy represents a true poker player that does'nt desire the fact to take it to ESPN,of course you know he could,but makes money just playing cards for a living which is my goal.And not only that he is full of wisdom and good beats and not to many players are.He represents the best of players on more than one level.These kind of players are one in a million.

    Turtle Diesel
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    My fav character was KGB i rate the movie 5 star great movie

    L`Artist
    the professor April 20, 2006
    Im also thinking what happend to second version?? My thougts goes to the proffessor who was the one that told Mike to keep up the things ( poker ) that kept him "alive".My favorite quote is - While I sat down at that table I felt alive for the first time in 9 months!!!!

    ruzzo45
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    great movie. but where is the next one, they leave us hanging with mike goin to the w.s.o.p what happens whens he gets to vegas am i right?

    theone
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    I am only 25, but I have probably seen this movie somewhere between 500 and 700 times. My freshman year in college, I watched it every night before I went to bed. I still have an ex-girlfriend who when asks what I am doing and I say watching a moving still replys..."are you watching fucking rounders!!!" Which is usually followed by a yes. Even at 25 I can still remember when it was a back-room in the bar kind of poker world..in washington and a casino in oregon you only have to be 19 to play poker...So now all my friends love to play and the movie...What could be better, I get to watch my favorite movie and when everyone is done they ar all geard up to play poker...then I get to take all the money too....LIFE IS GOOD ;)

    GWDGuy
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    Great movie I watch it all the time. This is one one of those movies that make you feel like you are in the same room watching the action. slow pace but still very interesting and fun. Kinish was great, just laid back and cool. Not a showboat... knew he was the best and played the part well.

    dntspllthchps
    Worm April 20, 2006
    one question, my favorite quote, "don't spill the chips", is not in there? Why is it not in there. I need this stress like I need your **** in my ass.

    ssd240
    Worm April 20, 2006
    best scenes in poker...i made a short film from KGB's perspective in college. this time mike has pocket 9s. (THE NUTS)I also go to school in the city and play in many clubs as well as deal at a club in midtown.

    Little Chicago Bill
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    Truly a great movie. However, for someone who is so good at judging people he sure can not get a read on Edward Norton’s character. He should know that he is bad news – but what are friends for?I have searched the Internet everywhere for a transcript of the movie. Does anyone have or know where I can find a transcript? I am about to make my own. There are so many good lines in the movie.Thanks for your time,Little Chicago Bill

    RounderAAAA
    Worm April 20, 2006
    Its what cheers me up when I am feelin down. This movie and rolled-up aces over kings. So many great quotes and just a great poker movie.

    Sonny
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    I loved everything about this movie from the gratuitist narrating to John Malchovich over exaggerating his accent. I only pray they make a Rounders 2 Mike Takes on the WSOP.

    Cory
    Jo April 20, 2006
    That girl is hot, I just wish she would have gotten naked.

    really?
    Grandma April 20, 2006
    Actually, his name is Gramma. Or at least that's how it's read in the subtitles. I'd assume it's a take-off from Graeme, which is a fairly common name, I think, among greek people. I could be way off on this.I'd also like to note that he is not my favorite character in the movie. I find it sad that Petra is not mentioned in this whole page. I know that she was only in a couple of scenes, but each scene that she was in, she was killer-hot! What was Mike thinking?!?? Anyways, very cool movie.

    ReboFace
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    The greatest fucking movie ever

    Xirces
    Worm April 20, 2006
    Great movie and Malkovich would have been my favorite character, but his Russian accent was beyond bad. Otherwise, as unrealistic as the scene where he correctly calls every hand, the movie is perfectly shot.

    A_Real_Rounder
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    This movie is just the best gambling/Texas Holdem movie of all time. It's brought a lot of fish to my table who just love giving their money away to me trying to play fancy like Mike D did in the movie!

    yeah
    Worm April 20, 2006
    thats totally wrong jack, you cant only work once a week no matter how good of a day you had and still live a decent life.

    goldminde
    Worm April 20, 2006
    How could you leave out "You vant a cookie?"!!! Great film, and it's getting more and more popular with the whole WSOP and WPT explosion. Lots of bandwagon jumpers, but I'm proud to say I saw it twice in theaters and later purchased the home version. The scene with Chan is priceless. Ed Norton is great as the shifty, fast-talking, doomed Worm. He needed to smoke, though. In the long run, I think this film will be mentioned as the film that did for poker what "The Hustler" did for billiards. One of my most watched and all-time faves.

    Anaconda
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    This is honestly the greatest gaming movie i have ever seen. John Malkovich plays the greatest russian. It is a must see to who ever hasnt seen it. The only greater crime than not betting 9's full of aces is not seeing this movie!!!!!!!!!!

    Benji
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    Loved the movie although I tend to get frustrated when watching Mike interact with the other characters (Mainly Worm and his the chick). If Mike's so good at reading people, why couldn't he see through his friends bullshit, especially Worm. But will I buy the new special edition DVD? Of course

    PigDog
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    This was a great movie. I agree it was well ahead of the current boom in publicity, although, I think poker has been popular in many peoples basements. My favorite line is "I will splash the pot, when the f*ck I want!"

    Ross
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    Movie is great. But my favorite quote is by one of the regular player, I forget who, who says "Check-oslovakia". Another one jsut makes fun of KGB's accent, but whenever he talks and especially when he says check, once in a while at my games, someone will say it like that. Oh an d"I will splash the pot whenever I want" or something like that. I love watching that movie. I always have oreos on hand, so I can do what KGB does, and I follow the same rule as him, so if my friends realize it, they now waht I will do.

    jack
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    I think Kinish represents what most real players are about. Someone not looking to be on TV and be a star, but rather make a living by doing a job you can get away with only having to work once a week if you have a good day

    tincup1215
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    Great great movie. The quotes are great. "I call even" "You should have paid me off!" "Well, I am playing with your money" and of course, my favorite "I'm sorry John, I don't remember"

    wired aces
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    Charlie I do agree with Gill in that there has been a recent boom in the popularity of gambling, but I like to think that this increase in interest doesnt take anything away from the game itself or the movie despite yuppies talking smack and thinking they can take down the World series because they won a few games in their buddies basement. P.S. whats the quote that mike says when he goes to tell grandma that they dont have the money its something about having a reason can anyone help me out?

    charlie
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    I like this movie a lot. I love the one liners maybe would be the best if it weren't for Pulp Fiction. My favorite line isn't posted here if anyone remembers exactly let us know. But it goes a little something like this.--I bet your kicking yourself for not walking away when you had the chance--bad judgement--With "bad judgement" being my favorite. Oh ya I just remembered, "You must feel proud and good""Strong enough to beat the world" "Nobody can push you around"Also I must comment on Gills comment about bandwagon poker people. Hasn't poker always been insanely popular? I've been playing since I was 5, and most everybody at least knows how to play 5 card draw. What does everyone else think about this? Are more people playing now than before?

    Gill
    Joey Kinish April 20, 2006
    One of my fav movies till all these bandwagon poker people found out about poker because of the WPT....

    Ismality
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    I'd like to give this movie 4 stars, but because there isn't another modern poker movie it gets a 1-star bonus. John Malkovich, Ed Norton, and Matt Damon kick ass in the best poker/gambling movie I've ever seen.

    Mechanics Grip
    Kgb April 20, 2006
    The Best Poker Movie Ever!

    Tom Delgado
    Mike McD April 20, 2006
    During a rainy day, I decided to pop in my video copy of Rounders, and let's just say that I loved the movie. The poker play is very realistic, the plot continues to thicken as the movie goes along, and most of all, Johnny Chan was in it! Johnny fuckin' Chan!

    head1021
    Rounders April 20, 2006
    Really good movie. If you have the DVD, after watching it a few times, just skip every scene with Gretchen Mol (Mike's GF). While hot, she sucks the life out of the movie. Skipping her scenes cuts the movie to about 40 minutes of the best poker scenes caught in cinema.