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A hot-shot
college card player and a retired poker legend team-up to take Sin City for all
its worth, only to find themselves going toe-to-toe in the ultra-high stakes
World Poker Tour. Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison) is a Yale senior with a knack
for Texas Hold 'Em. But while Alex dreams of the day he'll be able to dominate
the tables out in Las Vegas, he hasn't mastered the art of the cards just yet.
Alex's luck begins to change, however, after a chance encounter with
legendary poker player Tommy Vinson (Burt Reynolds). Tommy gave up gambling
twenty years ago in hopes that he could save his family. He recognizes the
potential in Alex, and he's beginning to regain his confidence after two
decades of maintaining a low profile.
Alex agrees to become Tommy's
protégé, and together the pair wins every tournament they enter.
But Alex's attraction to beautiful Las Vegas call girl Michelle (Shannon
Elizabeth) has caused his attention shift away from the tables, and that
distraction has opened up a deep chasm between the emerging talent and the
undisputed master. |
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Later, after Alex and
Tommy calls off their partnership, they find themselves on opposite sides of
the table at the prestigious World Poker Tour. Who will take the top prize?
Will it be the old pro who promised he would never gamble again, or the
newcomer who learned all of his tricks from the true master of the trade?
Reynolds does less than no acting in his role, and he’s still the
best thing in “Deal.” He does look pretty odd, given the dubious
plastic surgery of late. Here when Reynolds sits behind his sunglasses (usually
indoors), his arms uncomfortably folded, it’s as if he’s trying to
keep everything together, lest some of that facial work come off. |
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The film also features
Shannon Elizabeth as a Vegas chippy and various real-life poker fixtures
playing themselves or versions of themselves, notably Jennifer Tilly as Razor.
The old Vegas stock shots appear to try and keep you from realising that this
was shot in Louisiana.
"Deal" also has some not-so-subtle product
placement (PokerStars and World Poker Tour) with Vince Van Patten and Mike
Sexton springling themselves on the audience.
The film also has so
little about strategy or what to watch for in the big game--and so little
actually at stake in the climactic match--that you start to wonder if
co-writer/director Gil Cates Jr. has any interest in poker
whatsoever.
This is a card game film for anyone who thought
‘21’ was too sophisticated
Wash your underwear
instead |
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| Director |
Gil Cates
Jr. |
Burt
Reynolds |
Tommy
Vinson |
| Writing |
Gil Cates
Jr. |
Bret
Harrison |
Alex
Stillman |
| Awards |
Razzie
nominated |
Shannon
Elizabeth |
Michelle |
| Category |
Worst
Supporting Actor |
Jennifer
Tilly |
Karen 'Razor'
Jones |
| Who |
Burt Reynolds
|
Mike
Sexton |
Mike
Sexton |
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