This is too good to be a sequel!

Rating: 10/10 (11 November 2008)

Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio all give legendary performances in this "sequel" to, "The Hustler". Newman returns as Fast Eddie Felson, a former pool hustler who is now an aging liquor salesman but soon moves up to stake horsing a young pool shark who Fast Eddie sees as a resemblance of himself. Cruise plays the cocky, immature pool shark, Vincent, Mastrantonio plays Vincent's tough girlfriend, Carmen (an Oscar nomination). Eddie takes Vincent and Carmen on the road, teaching Vincent the true art of hustling, "Money Won Is Twice As Sweet As Money Earned". Although director Martin Scorsese claims he did this film strictly for the money, this is one of his best works.For all you pool enthusiasts out there, you will be enthralled to see many professional pool players such as Steve Mizerak in brief cameos. Do not miss this film! It is true art in the making. Cruise performed most of his own pool playing, and the late great Paul Newman scored his first and only Oscar for his great work here.Newman was truly a great actor...I can't think of too many that have won an Oscar for playing the same character years later and winning an Oscar for it.