A little drunk on its own arcane exotica as a gambling movie, Rounders is a film that takes us inside a world of high-stakes card players but falls short on such essentials as character development, relationships, that sort of thing. Still, it is a real curiosity, written by a couple of guys (David Levien and Brian Koppelman) who appear to know something about the dark underbelly of card hustling for fun and profit. Matt Damon stars as a reluctant law student who can't put aside his subterranean career of playing poker and blackjack for big money. After he loses his post-grad nest egg to a weird Russian kingpin (John Malkovich)--and also loses his disgusted girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) in the process--Damon's character turns to an unreliable old buddy (Edward Norton) for a dangerous game of sharking wherever there happens to be a game underway: frat boys, cops, bad dudes, you name it. Norton appears to be living out every young actor's fantasy of re-creating Robert De Niro's prototypical head case in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and while his performance is burdened by obvious quotation marks, his estimable talent still shines through. Damon's charm and intelligence bring some oomph to the curiously flat proceedings, and while his hushed, soul-bearing scenes with Martin Landau (as a law professor who takes a shine to the kid) seem gratuitous, they're still nice to watch. Behind all this is director John Dahl (Red Rock West), who is not exactly at the top of his game here but who brings his distinctive toughness to the crime-noir tone. --Tom Keogh |
Introducing Ultimate Poker, the step-by-step guide to the hottest, poker game today - Texas Hold'Em. Whether you're brand new to the game, or ready to battle the pros, Ultimate Poker has everything you need to bring the excitement, and the challenge of Texas Hold'Em... Right into your own home.Ultimate Poker includes three easy-to-learn, easy-to-follow videos hosted by Vince Van Patten of the World Poker Tour, and the best-selling poker writer today, Ken Warren. |
Introducing Ultimate Poker, the step-by-step guide to the hottest, poker game today - Texas Hold'Em. Whether you're brand new to the game, or ready to battle the pros, Ultimate Poker has everything you need to bring the excitement, and the challenge of Texas Hold'Em... Right into your own home.Ultimate Poker includes three easy-to-learn, easy-to-follow videos hosted by Vince Van Patten of the World Poker Tour, and the best-selling poker writer today, Ken Warren. |
Go from beginner to winner! "I am going to show you more than just how to break even at poker. I am going to show you how to win big time!" Are you ready to unlock the secrets to winning big at Texas Hold'em Poker, the ultimate test of skill, strategy and composure? Millions of Americans have discovered it's the most exciting way to turn a tiny investment into a multimillion dollar fortune. Mike Caro, the legendary Mad Genius of Poker, will show you how to improve your game and take it to the next level. As the world's foremost authority on poker, his battle-tested strategies will give you the edge to play smart and win big! Whether you play in a casino or online, limit or no limit, Mike's "own the table system" will transform your game. |
an excellent new full length feature film about poker, shot in lake elsinore, ca and featuring two top poker pros in the ensemble cast |