Rounders 2 and 1/2 Stars (Out of 4) Reviewed by Mac VerStandig Critic@Moviereviews.org Http://www.moviereviews.org
What is a movie that has no apparent morals, encourages illegal practices, and features it toughest character in a one-piece jump suit? Is it a testimony to a great plot, or a circus sideshow gone horribly astray? When Rounders starts it's 2-hour duration it is clearly leaning toward the latter of the 2 options. And yet, when the last reel is over and all is said done, the film is so much more than a testimony to the great plot it is made of. In-between the beginning and end there is a line that is treaded by this unique film that often resembles a line between genius and insanity. And those elements are no less diverse as both the positive and negative of this film. But, as it is nice to see once in a while, the positive elements prevail here.
Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) is a small time poker player in New York City. He sits with the best in the world, everyone from "grinders," those who make a living at the poker table, to Russian mobsters that are connected all the way up. His best friend, and long time partner, is incarcerated for credit card fraud. His social life has been steady lately, as he lives with his girlfriend outside of the law school campus that he attends. His main focus is his studies, and he has the ability to be one of the best lawyers in his class.
Everything in Mike McDermott's life is a constant, stable, chain link. Even his gambling at the poker table is a calculated risk. So what happens when he has a hand of poker that goes wrong? He quits the game, hoping not to throw off the balance of his life. But everything in his life will change when his best friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy (Edward Norton) is released from prison, and finds himself $25,000 in debt to the Russian mob. Choices are limited, and being a lifelong friend, Mike takes the game back, in an attempt to come up with the cash to bail his best pal out. The catch: A chain link fence is only as strong as the weakest link.
Rounders is not just a movie about the glories of poker, it is about a person finding himself, and what he really is. It is not a collection of explanations of rules, or wagering policies, but rather a complex character study. The unique thread of this study is that McDermott is the only vulnerable character in the film, in the sense that everyone else has already achieved a rhythm in their life and discovered who they really are.
It is very rare that a group of actors with as much recognition as this cast will assemble for a film, and all turn out four star performances. However, that does occur here. Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Martin Landau, John Turturro and Gretchen Mole are all excellent in their parts. The chemistry seems to work so well since they all portray vastly different characters, one of the advantages that the vastly rich script provides for.
And yet this wonderful film comes with one major caveat that adds a negative side to this work that is nearly equivalent to the positive, but thankfully not entirely. If you do not know how to play several types of poker or at least understand the rules of the games, you will be utterly bored for 120 minutes. Despite the successful attempt to lure the film away from cards to character development, there is still a heavy emphasis put on cards and the assumption that all viewers already know the rules of the games.
The bottom line when you look at Rounders is that when all has been said and done, a lot more ends up said then done. Does this takeaway from a potentially great film? Somewhat. Is the aforementioned caveat to the film's incredible entertainment value a major loss? Well, not necessarily. For some viewers, especially those experienced in the field of card games, it only adds to the most enjoyable experience. And yet, for those who are not as knowledgeable, this film can seem like an eternity at times, and that costs it most of, if not all of it's value. So, I am going to compromise
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