Some movies are about action, the story driven by events.
The characters drive others, like Hard Eight, a view of life that makes you grateful for the roll of the dice your life has been. This movie is seemingly simple in its construction, old gambler meets young prot g and teachings him the way to ply his trade as a gambler. Along the way the young man falls in love with the proverbial hooker with the heart of gold. Yet, after watching Hard Eight a couple of times you will get the sense that there is a lot more beyond the surface. This story seems to get under your skin and nests there, compelling you to keep watching, growing a genuine interest in the characters, even with they are people you thought you could never care about at all.