A Rounder is a player who knows all the angles and earns his or her living at the poker table. Rounders takes a different approach than Hard Eight that was recently released in 1997. Director Paul Thomas Anderson used less Hollywood glitz and shows you what it s really like to have your life earnings lost on one hand. Poker, not law, is Mike s passion and at times becomes addicted to its grasp. Throughout Rounders you find yourself inside the psychological rush of this high stakes game.
Poker is a contest of wit, deception and daring.
The most skillful players are a master of these traits. The enjoyment in Rounders comes from being able to transcend yourself into Mike s shoes, with the help of Damon s voice-overs. He speaks in insider poker lingo making the audiences feel that they re in the card game as well. What s more, the acting is top shelf. Nortan plays a very detailed and convincing worm.