Newman at his unequaled best.

Rating: 9/10 (19 September 1999)

I've got five names for you: Dexter Gordon, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, James Woods, and Paul Newman. Now you're probably thinking "What is this guy getting at?" or "Who cares about these names?". That's because you DON'T know what I'm getting at. These are the five actors who were in nomination for best actor in 1986 and the winner was Newman for "The color of money". And he didn't just win because this was about his eighth nomination and he hadn't won yet so the voters decided he should win and voted for him. No, he won because he was the best that year.

In 1961, Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) was trying to become the best pool-player around by beating Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). 25 years later, he owns a small bar. But one day, he hears some noises at the pool tables that only he knows because of his experience as a hustler. When he turns, there he sees a kid who's about in his 20's and who has, as Felson says, "a sledge-hammer break". He goes over to talk to him but since he's busy playing, he introduces himself to the kid's girlfriend, Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). He tries to see if the kid is a hustler by trying to hustle Carmen but at every offer he makes, she tells him he should talk to her boyfriend Vincent (Tom Cruise).
Felson buys them a drink and then takes them to dinner. At the restaurant, Eddie tells them that after having seen Vincent play, he thinks he could beat anyone and also, Eddie pulls a little magic trick on Vincent and his girlfriend. The next day, Eddie goes to visit Vincent at work and he makes him a proposition in which he will take Vincent and Carmen on a trip to teach Vincent how to make big money hustling and then, take them to Atlantic City where he could compete in the annual pool championship and would probably win. After the proposition, Vincent asks for a few days to talk it over with his girlfriend, but they eventually agree.
Once they leave on the trip, the movie reaches its peak and Newman gives the performance of his career as he tries to teach Vincent the right way to hustle. Scorsese's directing is indeed excellent. The music and script are excellent as well and the supporting cast is excellent as well. But Newman simply dominates the movie from start to finish. He is twice as good as he was in "The hustler" and didn't only teach Vincent how to win as a hustler when he was playing Eddie Felson in the movie, but he probably taught Cruise a thing or two about acting since Cruise's childhood movie-star was Paul Newman. The two of them make a great pair. But Paul Newman is still one of the best and shows it to everybody in this movie. You've got to see it.