Poolhall Junkies
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Movie Reviews of Poolhall Junkies
Movie Review: Sleek and slick with the stick
Summary: 5 Stars
I think Ebert said it best in his review..."Is this a great movie? Not at all. Is it more or less consistently entertaining? Yes."
What makes this an interesting film is not its predeliction for sticking to formulaic devices. That is the reason many critics panned the film. They failed to look past the originality factor and just sit back and enjoy a well crafted and acted movie. This film was designed with style and fun, that you are sucked into Johnny's pool playing.
Let me start by saying Mars Callahan reminded me a lot of John Cusack in this film. And that's not a bad thing. He mixes confidence with style and ends up at times to be pulling a Vince Vaughn (ala the scene where he pulls the waiter aside, "Excuse me, handsome, you got anything else in this joint besides champagne?"). He has four lackeys who idolize him who often add humorous conversations to the movie.
When Johnny is having fun, the viewer is having fun. A notable difference from Rounders is the girl isnt nearly as annoying. Where I felt I needed to shoot her in Rounders, here she is more tolerant of the main character.
Walken brings a nice touch to the film, but he could have been used a bit more. His relationship with Johnny is barely touched upon, but more or less implied by what he ends up doing for him. A little more development in that respect would have been nice. We get a more defined relationship between Joe and Johnny earlier in the film, therefore by the time the end of the film rolls around, one would have liked to see how Johnny went from one mentor to another, so to speak. Walken doesn't need to tell Johnny how to play or where to play, but he just shows up more for convenience than anything.
Even Johnny's brother, Danny, goes from rational to irrational, just from a game of pool. It takes a couple of scenes to show how much the game can alter someone's future.
Despite sticking to formula, and injecting some trickery with rhetoric, the film was highly enjoyable. Some will label it Swingers meets Rounders meets Gone in 60 Seconds, but whatever the comparisons, Poolhall Junkies is a film worthy of its own merit. I mean, how many times have you seen a movie take recycled material and actually make it worth watching? Poolhall Junkies does in a big way.
Movie Review: The Hustler 2
Summary: 5 Stars
A modern day version or interpretation of The Hustler.
You have some gangster blacks in this version, and rap style music during many parts though.
But you have similar scenes in both films, like what happens to the star in both films. (don't want to spoil it for those that have not seen these films.) And it is not exactly the same, but if you see both films, you will figure out what the similarities are.
The trick shots are much nicer in this film than in the Hustler, and the actors are really doing the shots themselves, since the star is a pool player first, and an actor second.
Actually, many of the actors in this film are very bad. At times you think you are watching a bad adult sex film with the poor attempt at fake accents and such, but then all of a sudden you get a great actor like Christopher Walken in the movie and those parts are great.
Turns out this is another case of a movie that never would have gotten anyone to make it until they could get a "big name" star to agree to be in it, and then they could sell the movie idea. VERY sad that this is the way the industry works, but I am glad to see any movie with Christopher Walken in it, so in this case it is a bonus.
I have recently really been into pool, and bought The Hustler AND Poolhall Junkies on DVD and saw them for the first time.
The Hustler is obviously an old classic black and white film with the great Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman, but as far as watching pool trick shots, Poolhall Junkies is the better film.
Usually, I can always figure out how a movie is going to end, and guess the con and hustle in a movie like this, but I have to admit, I never saw the end con comming. What a pleasant surprise to have a movie in which I didn't see the ending comming! WOW!
Yes, there are some bad actors in here and it is a low budget film, but I really liked it and Christopher Walken is great in it. I will be keeping this DVD in my collection to be watched again.
Movie Review: Better than given credit for
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a movie that is better than it is being given credit for. Anyone that plays pool, like myself, will appreciate this movie. But like "The Color of Money" and "The Hustler" if you dislike pool the slitest bit , you are gonna hate it. And contrary to "Wannabe poole" there, Mike Massey was indeed in this movie at the Pro tournament. Walken like usual acts his role to perfection. And the "final" hustle of the movie was classic. And also the 4 balls off the table hustle mentioned by another reviewer as "not likely" is actually commen and easy to pull off against your average joe who doesnt play often where they think you have to make 8 balls and they only have to make 4, but in order for this to work you need to be good enough not to miss. All things in this movie seem to fit right to me except the putting the money on the lights, most pool halls dont allow gambling, but dont try to stop it either. All in all being a person that lives thier life in and out of a pool hall, this movie fit most aspect perfectly and the low profile cast helped to concentrate on the movie instead of the actors...Movie Review: little indie film = big surprise!
Summary: 5 Stars
i was not expecting much out of this movie when i recently rented it. that was a week ago. six days ago i went out and bought myself a copy of this film.i was blown away by this flick. let me preface this by saying, i in no way think this is the best written, best acted movie i have ever seen, but it is by far one of the best overall! this movie has alot of heart for being a low budget indie flick! palminteri and walken (as usual) are wonderful in the movie. martin (who also directs) does a very solid job in his lead role.
this movie follows a pool-hustler (martin) as he is trying to give up the con. while he attempts to give it up, it seems to constantly pull him back in. following him along the way are a brother, his friends, and a girlfriend who is a young lawyer. this movie has a well-written, fast-paced, witty script.
poolhall junkies was such a pleasant surprise for me that my copy has been viewed at least three times already as i continue to show it to my friends, who also love the film. i highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good, entertaining movie!
Movie Review: fun movie, nevermind the film students
Summary: 5 Stars
i remember when i first watched this film...... it made me want to go down to my bar and shoot pool. the people who gave bad reviews for this film must be kids who just failed out their first "intro to film class" and are bitter that quentin tarantino, david lynch, or john waters wasn't mentioned, or people that take pool way to seriously and spend every waking moment at their pool hall. remember kids its just a game. regardless of all the technical aspects of the film, if you enjoy just chasing around that little black ball around for a night, check this movie out. you're not gonna see any crazy explosions or ultra violence, but its just entertaining. sometimes people get way too involved with stealing a movies credibility and ripping it to shreds only because the director should haved panned left when he panned right. its a fun movie, and if you get past trying to be "Johnny Film Expert", or "Johnny Pool Shot" you wont have regreted watching it.