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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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