A good, but not great, film

Rating: 7/10 (11 July 2005)

People more eloquent than I have made some recent and perceptive comments about this film, so I can only echo some of what has been said...
I enjoyed the stark and crisp black and white cinematography. And enjoyed Newman's moving portrayal of the talented, but undisciplined, Eddie.
Eddie's romance with Sarah was a weak link in this film, and the middle part of the movie dragged as a result. The classic Minnesota Fats scenes, on the other hand, sandwiched the romance and really held my interest and (in my humble opinion) were much more central to the overall story.
(This movie, along with Hombre and The Verdict, is part of the Paul Newman Collection DVD set)