Worth repeated viewings

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2005)

I have watched this movie several times and it just keeps getting better each time, something I can't say about very many. Newman is exquisite as the ultra sharp, ex-pool hustler who "gets retired" early in his career and sees Cruise as his ticket to get back in the game. Cruise is effective as a hot prospect with "too much cojones' and not enough brains", as is Mastrantonio in the role of Cruise's street-smart girlfriend. There are so many memorable scenes and lines from this one that just rattle around in my head years after the last time I've seen it. Excellent and lasting blues score. I used to think this lost focus a little towards the end, now I'm not as sure. Either way, it still seems like a realistic (and a most entertaining) look at the world of pool hustling. 10 out of 10