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Based on a true story, Michael Imperioli stars
as poker legend, Stu Ungar. A
gambler by the age of 10, Ungar won millions playing card games. He was one of
two people ever to win the World Series of Poker three times - twice before age
26. But, in spite of his success, a life of excess and addiction left him in
tremendous debt and could only end in tragedy.
Stu Ungar had one of the
most captivating lives in the history of biography, but, unfortunately, this
movie does not do it justice. The motif here is that Ungar gives his memoirs
verbally to an imagined presence in his hotel room shortly before he dies.
The early parts are of the movie are the worst part as it's a
Goodfellas rip off with even a replay of the wedding cash train scene that has
been super-imposed to Stu's Bar Mitzvah. The local gangsters are devoid of the
style found within Scorcese's classic. The child actor playing him in the
beginning is completely wrong for the part.
A major problem that I with
High Roller also concerned casting because Michael Imperioli is way too cool to
be playing a guy like Ungar. He can't come off with zero social skills if he
tried for a century, but, of course, Hollywood being Hollywood, finding
somebody like Stu amidst all the models is not easy to do. Imperioli's acting
was excellent though aside from his physical appearance.
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One thing that I
have to say in the director's defense about this movie is that they tried hard
to be authentic with many of the facts. It was true that Ungar, even though he
was worth millions, had his power shut off for not paying his bills. Also, it
was historically accurate that his comment after winning the World Series of
the Poker for the second time was that "he'd probably blow" the money which is
exactly what he said and then did.
This is an over glamourised view of
Ungar's life. I (the editor) only saw him once in 1997, the year he won his
third title. He looked ill and someone whos life vices had taken him physically
to the edge. This is still an enjoyable movie to watch though all the mafia
nonesense could be dispensed with. The technique of the mystery visitor (angel
of death) making Stuey relive his life before he was taken away was a
success. |
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| Director |
A.W.
Vidmer |
Michael Imperioli |
Stu
'Stuey' Ungar |
| Producer |
F.A.
Miller |
Renee
Faia |
Angela
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| Writing |
A.W.
Vidmer |
Michael Nouri |
Vincent |
| Cinematography |
Larry
Boothby |
Joe
La Due |
DJ |
| Cert./Runtime |
120
mins |
Steve
Schirripa |
Anthony |
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