seen september 13 , 1998 at 4 p .
m at rotterdam square mall cinema 6 , theater # 2 , with chris wessell for free using my sony / loews critic 's pass .
[ theater rating :
* * 1/2 : good seats , average sound , picture unstable ] " rounders " is exactly the kind of movie parents do n't want their kids to see .
it 's not that it 's a drunken orgy of sex and violence , but
because it 's a film that flat - out says you can make a career out of gambling .
and to take make things " worse
" it proves this through its original , fascinating story .
there have been countless crime films both past and present that evoke the " noir " mood , that is , the dark , shady atmosphere where the vices of the world become more fascinating on screen than they would in real life .
this film starts off in the tradiational noir style , introducing us to the underworld of modern gambling where the stakes are high and so is the price for losing .
matt damon stars as mike mcdermott , a 20-something law student in present - day new york city who tells us how the game of poker is really played .
damon narrates throughout the film , but the entire opening scene is voiced - over so perfectly to completely and totally define the setting .
mike 's about to go up against teddy kgb ( malkovich ) , a russian gangster who looks like a serial killer .
but then again , he practically is one and the film does everything to convey that sense - the look in his eyes , his slow movements , his intricate mannerisms - all combined with the classic noir cinematography of isolated brightness within the darkness of the underworld ( literally ) .
damon in the flesh might seem a little out of place with his expensive clothes and perfectly - groomed features , but his narration is what brings it all together .
he never sounds like he 's reading from a script , nor that he 's trying to embellish anything ,
it just comes natural to him .
the screenwriters use the right words and phrases to describe the mood , from the smell of the air , to the logic involved in reading the other guys ' faces and cards , and all without sounding remotely trite .
immediately we get the sense that poker is n't for gamblers , but for near- geniuses with nerves of steel .
the game is a quiet war , with strategies just as complex and the same sense of honor among the soldiers .
the gangsters mike plays against are the same ones that might kill someone for scratching their car , but when it comes to the game of poker , all respect is due to the winner because he is truly the better man .
the film does an excellent job in establishing its atmosphere during the first act .
it concentrates so much in this aspect that the background and the progression of the story stumble a bit .
we learn only a little about mike , both past and present .
presently we know he has a girlfriend named jo ( gretchen mol ) who he constantly argues with over his gambling .
they go through a few break - up / make - up cycles until mike 's childhood pal and fellow rounder " worm " ( norton ) is released from prison .
it 's not at all surprising worm owes thousand of dollars to the mob , but what is surprising is how the film is able to take such a predictable element and execute it the way it does .
technically , the plot is n't unlike many children 's sitcoms in which the " good " kid 's " bad " friend gets the good kid in trouble and yet the good kid remains friends with the bad kid .
what this film does is use a different medium to tell that story .
mike and worm have been in over their heads their entire lives , but both share a passion for out - thinking the other player who is trying to do the same to them .
where as worm prefers to go the sleazy route of cheating ( hence his jail time ) , mike always takes the cards he 's dealt and works with them .
sometimes they pay off ( i .
e .
his ability to pay his way through law school on his gambling money ) , but
other times they do n't (
i .
e .
the fact he takes himself out of the game and works a steady job after dropping $ 30 , 000 on a single hand ) .
once things start happening the film is able to expand and develop its plot into an intricate web of detail and mood .
mike and worm bob and weave through all kinds of games at all kinds of places , from socialites ' mansions , to taking the tourists at atlantic city , to outwitting the gangsters that control it all .
everything they come into contact with is a big poker game in that everything 's a battle against the cards destiny deals .
one scene demonstrates this perfectly in which mike is told by a judge ( martin landou , in a perfectly cast and performed role ) that destiny is everything and yet nothing at the same time .
matt 's good at gambling
but he 's also got potential to be a great lawyer .
he could go professional as either , but with one he could lose everything or win big , but with the other there 's stability but not much risk involved .
can someone who 's gambled his entire life really cash in his chips and leave ?
if the film had been just a subtle lesson in poker - playing , then the ending is our test .
everything is told from mike 's perspective , but we 're finally able to recognize some things on our own .
this makes the final , against - all- odds showdown seem like just that .
it works just like the game it revolves around - showing us some of the cards , but still evokes the element of the unknown , and the consequences thereof .
what separates " rounders " from most other films about games is the fact the challenge and the skills are more important than winning in the end .
Output: P