ROUNDERS (1998)

Directed By: John Dahl 
Written By: Brian Koppelman & David Levien 
Cinematography By: Jean-Yves Escoffier 
Editor: Scott Chesnut 

Cast: Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Martin Landau, Gretchen Mol, John Malkovich, John Turturro, Michael Rispoli, Famke Janssen, Josh Mostel, Melina Kanakaredes, Lenny Clarke

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

Like an loose updated THE CINCINATTI KID. It takes you into the backroom parlors.
The film puts you in the right atmosphere of a certain kind of elegance and well as a underground network of con men and illegal activities. Which the film tries to come off as cool and slick, but comes off as stiff. The confines though feel illustrious and classic. Like age old traditions which help give the film a richness. All the scenes seem to filtered with deep dark reds.

By all means considering the talent involved in the film this should be a better film. The way the film plays it acts like it’s a better film then what it is. While it has a pedigree, the film hasn’t earned that right yet.

While it has it’s share of surprises the story feels fairly predictable. The thing that keeps you watching is wondering when and how what you know is going to happen, will.

Though he is good Edward Norton seems to be coasting through this film. While Matt Damon seem to be taking it seriously while that works for him. It’s not too much of a stretch. While Norton seems to be trying to create a character with very few details.

Neve Campbell turned the film down and at the time Hollywood’s it girl Gretchen Mol has what passes for a female leading role, though in the end it comes off as a typical girlfriend role. There isn’t a real character there just a point in the script to give the lead something to be working toward and pulling him in one direction while the other direction entices him.

It’s fun to see John Malkovich hamming it up in his role.

The film seems to have an attitude like it’s supposed to be or going to be a classic new York tale, yet comes off as mediocre and a story that feels familiar that is not necessarily better but isn’t worse than how we have seen it before.

It’s entertaining and a disappointment only because you go in thinking about the possibilities that it never achieves. One of the problems in this film is that we understand the bounds of friendship, but these guys are hustlers and poker players a game of not only skill, but smarts. Now he realizes his friend is a screw-up which almost anyone except for him can see. So that when a betrayal does eventually happen He is so shocked. Yet expects loyalty even though they are not family.

I know I am hard on this film, it’s not a bad film. Maybe it’s just the fact I have seen so many films this one does little to distinguish itself. It’s a good film that is enjoyable yet there is nothing too special about it. I remember seeing this in theaters on opening night with a small audience. I expected a bigger more appreciative crowd. Yet the theater was nearly empty. The film is entertaining and as long as you don’t expect much it’s good. It’s just watching it and thinking of how much better it could be hurts a little. It does set a intoxicating mood with it’s elements. Giving it a feel of warmness in treacherous times.

GRADE: B