MovieChat Forums > California Split Discussion > Not Really About Poker ***Spoilers***

Not Really About Poker Spoilers

posted 19 years ago by Brisk317
6 replies | jump to latest

I keep hearing people ranking this movie among the best poker movies of all-time and I'm here to replay that this movie, isn't a poker movie...it's a gambling movie. The characters only play poker to kill time between the next horse race or crap shoot. The movie builds up to this "big poker game" in Reno and when we get there we don't even see one hand played. Instead we find out the main character wins money at the poker table and then the two guys spend the rest of the time playing craps and roulette; two vices that are usually the downfall of a poker player's bankroll. The movie is great at displaying the insane lifestyle of a true gambler, but I wouldn't consider these guys poker players. One thing that stuck out to me was; one moment they're playing low-limit games against old ladies and the next minute they're sitting down in a high-limit game with a world champion (which they win in) and we don't really see any progression in their game between the two, except the one character just "feels" he's going to win.

As far as the best poker movies of all-time: I have to have "Rounders" at the top. The style of the film and the acting is the best so far. Sure, there could have been more poker and less girlfriend stuff, but I think its still the best so far. "The Cincinnati Kid" is decent but the end is totally lame and the pacing is kind of sluggish. "The Sting" only has one poker scene and its all about cheating and a real poker player doesn't cheat. "Maverick" is just too gay. And the recently made Stu Ungar movie totally blew. I haven't seen "Havanna" yet, but if it is a good poker movie I probably would have hear more about it by now.

[–] berlin_alexanderplatz 18 years ago

This movie is NOT about poker. It is about people that happen to be gamblers. You're not supposed to be watching The World Series of Poker or anything.

This movie kicks ass by the way. Maybe my favorite Altman.

[–] bing-57 18 years ago

> this movie isn't a poker movie...it's a gambling movie.

That is correct. The movie shows us that poker is just another game about luck. We are never shown that Bill or Charlie have any poker skills at all, except that they can talk it up and put the other player on tilt.

After thinking about the movie for a few hours, I have decided that it is nothing more than a casino propoganda film. We don't see any serious downsides to being a gambling bum and we do see that it is just a matter of time before a person hits the biggest winning streak that the town has ever seen.

I mean, if these two losers can do it, why shouldn't I mortgage the house and head to Las Vegas too?

--
"Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand." - S. Wonder

[–] Senator_Corleone 17 years ago

"We don't see any serious downsides"

Are you kidding me? Both Segal and Gould lead sadly desperate lives throughout the film. Their entire characters are the downside. Did you even watch the movie?

[–] bing-57 17 years ago

> Both Segal and Gould lead sadly desperate lives throughout the film.

But that was all worth it when their ship finally came in.

Why shouldn't everybody sell everything, move to Vegas, and then spend a couple of years in a sad and desperate life? It is just a matter of putting in the time until you hit the big time.

It happened in this movie and it can happen to you! Come to Vegas!

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] Senator_Corleone 17 years ago

But they get no joy from their win. Bill severs his friendship and leaves the film as hopeless and depressed as he started. Charlie takes his money to probably gamble it away again somewhere else. I think you're totally picking gnat *beep* out of pepper to come away with your reading of the film.

[–] franzkabuki 16 years ago

How about trying to see things a little less literal mindedly perhaps? If all these hours of contemplation only yield a conclusion that it´s "a propaganda film for casinos", then I really feel sorry for you. Honest I do.