By Geno McGahee
In 1998, two of Hollywood’s brightest stars would team up in the action/thriller “ROUNDERS.” Matt Damon would play the role of Mike, a talented poker player that would give up the game after a big loss. His friend, Worm, played by Ed Norton, would relight the fire and bring him back to the world of lights and cards for one last big run with their lives as the ante.
Mike, studying to become a lawyer, impresses his professors with his abilities in poker, calling their hands and helping one of them win on a bluff. From an online casino to a trip to Atlantic City, Mike picks up where he once left off with Worm in tow with the hope of winning big and getting out of a jam that Worm had placed them in.
With a large debt hanging over their head, Worm and Mike go on a gambling spree, bouncing from game to game and winning quite a bit of money, but it comes with some obstacles along the way. At one point, a game goes crooked with some police officers and the two old pals find themselves beaten and broke. This brings to a rematch between Teddy KGB (John Malkovich) and Mike. Teddy KGB was the man that wiped Mike out and got him out of the game, but the time has come for a rematch and the stakes are high.
As always, John Malkovich nails the role, proving to be a chameleon. He can do anything and is rather scary and entertaining as the Russian mobster with an enjoyment of Texas Hold’em. Mike plays with the goons hanging over his shoulder, eager to end his life if he should lose. The movie proves to be an education for those that don’t know the specifics of the game and strategies. As the movie goes along, Mike narrates and explains how he wins and how he lost that one memorable game. It’s very compelling and makes the movie that much more entertaining.
ROUNDERS is one of the best casino-based films. Great performances by Matt Damon, Ed Norton and John Malkovich make this a must see. Adding to the enjoyment of the film are quality performances by John Turturro as the professional gambler, Joey Knish, Gretchen Mol as Mike’s girlfriend, Jo, and Martin Landau as Mike’s law professor, Abe Petrovsky.
I highly recommend ROUNDERS. It captures the excitement and drama of the game and does so in a memorable action rollercoaster ride.
