 Rounders (1998)
It's amazing how hot Matt Damon has become in such a short time. Since his breakthrough feature, last autumn's The Rainmaker, Damon has moved into the fast lane, with title roles in both Good Will Hunting and Saving Private Ryan. Plus, he and his best buddy, Ben Affleck, snagged an Oscar for their Hunting screenplay. Not bad for someone who, a year ago, was best known for small roles like Edgar Pudwhacker in Glory Daze. And, unlike many sudden phenoms, Damon actually has acting ability, and this talent is put on display during the course of his latest outing, Rounders, where he has a complex character to play -- a seasoned veteran at the card tables who cannot see past the duplicity of his best friend.
Playing opposite Damon as that friend is another actor of no small repute: Edward Norton (The People Versus Larry Flynt), who has yet to give a bad performance. Norton is every bit Damon's equal, which makes for a powerful one-twosome on the acting front. The supporting cast is solid from top to bottom, and includes veterans like Martin Landau, the always-creepy John Malkovich (using a ludicrous Russian accent), and John Turturro, as well as lesser-known faces like Famke Janssen (Xenia Onatopp in Goldeneye) and Gretchen Mol (Sonny's girlfriend in Donnie Brasco).
The director is John Dahl, who is best known for two splendidly entertaining thrillers (Red Rock West, The Last Seduction) that had cable TV premieres before their theatrical runs, depriving everyone involved of a shot at Oscar consideration. Although Dahl loves twisty, intricate plots that focus as much on plot convolutions as on characters, Rounders is something of a departure. While there are a few surprises, the storyline is basically a straightforward sports comeback scenario, with the game in question being poker and the "athlete" being a player who suffers a debilitating loss. Rounders is character-centered, but it does not follow the serpentine trail used by Dahl's other films.
The story opens in New York City, where our narrator, law student and poker player Mike McDermott (Damon), loses his life savings in a big game with a Russian mobster known as KGB (Malkovich). The next time we see Mike is nine months later, and he has given up cards to appease his girlfriend (Mol). But he still has the bug, and when an old friend of his, Worm (Norton), is released from prison, he is lured into the lifestyle again. Soon, he and Worm are up to their old tricks, taking money from unsuspecting marks. But Worm owes a huge debt to KGB, and, when Mike makes the mistake of vouching for him, he finds that his life is on the line as well. Now, he has two days to make $15,000, or he can forget about finishing law school and living happily ever after.
Although Rounders offers interesting characters and a compelling plot, the most fascinating aspect of the movie is its exploration of the theory of gambling. This is one of those rare instances when the voiceover doesn't seem unnecessary or intrusive, because it's through Damon's narration that we learn the ins and outs of being successful at cards. According to Mike, winning at poker is all skill and no luck. It's about playing the other men at the table, not the cards. A serious player only needs one big win per hour. And "if you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, you are the sucker." While the tricks in Rounders aren't as revealing as those presented in the opening hour of Martin Scorsese's Casino, the information is both believable and deliciously tantalizing.
Ultimately, Rounders doesn't try to do anything spectacular. It's a solidly enjoyable motion picture that follows a traditional trajectory. We've seen this kind of story with boxers, baseball players, ice skaters, etc. Now it's time for the card sharks to get their turn. However, although the storyline is predictable, the intelligent dialogue and top-drawer acting more than make up for the possible deficiency. Rounders is not breakthrough material, but it makes for an entertaining evening out.
© 1998 James Berardinelli |
