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The Winner More at IMDbPro »

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15 reviews in total

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6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
A Bad Script Turns 'Winner' Into 'Loser', 25 June 2007

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from United States

Yes, I agree with people here; this is a "coulda, woulda, shoulda" film. It could have been better and should have been.....but it's horrible, an absolute stinker.

I liked the premise but the story turned out stupid. The comedy was lame and the characters - all of them - were so sleazy and unlikable, how could you like the film?

After watching three years of Vincent D'Onofrio play the soft-spoken, super-intelligent "Det. Robert Goren: on Law and Order: Criminal Intent, I am amazed to look back at this film resume. Prior to that, he played almost nothing but despicable, demented characters. The rest of the cast in here wasn't shocking, either, as they have done similar work. They all can act, though. I'm speaking of fairly big "name" actors in this film: D'Onofrio, Rebecca De Mornay, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Madsen and Delroy Lindro.

But, it's hard to overcome a very bad script and lame one-liners that were supposed to be funny. Now I am more familiar with these actors than I was a dozen years ago, this might be better or at least interesting. Yet, I can't help but think a script that features nothing but unlikeable and sleazy characters is usually going to fall short

It's too bad, because I like stories centered in Las Vegas and gambling and this cast certainly is interesting.....but the story was anything but that. Maybe it's the director: his hits, "Sid And Nancy" and "Repo Man" also were way too sordid for me.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Please, release the right version !, 6 September 2000

Author: Rex, Regis from Laroche Migennes

There are two versions of "The Winner", the studio version released in the States and the Director version released in Japan only. I've seen the latter in Tokyo a couple of years ago and I really enjoyed it (great actors, great unreal atmosphere and very good story), but it looks like other User Comments (pretty negative) are based on the former. I hope that the DVD release will be based on the Director Version only, in order to give to this very good movie what it deserves.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
A little messed up., 25 April 2000
Author: Crowbot-2 from Look behind you

Could of been a great movie, would have a been a great movie, but it wasn't. Bad camera shots, made it look like a drunk guys point of view. Paper-thin script, the plot was good, but it looks like someone was in a hurry when making this, so instead we get bad one-liners, and some ideas that don't make any sense. Really bad acting. This had some real uninspired, that reminded me of puppets. I can't say everyone was bad in it though, Vincent whatever his last name is, who played Philip I think, looked really vulnerable, and brought some realism to the movie, and Frank Whaley who played Joey, the only person who was symphaphetic of Philip, was pretty cool, what a quack! Though I don't believe he was gay, I think he was schizophrenic.

But all in all, I would suggest to stay away from this movie, unless your into really weird stuff, or some of the actors/actresses.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Pretentious nonsense ............, 11 January 2011

Author: merklekranz from United States

"The Winner" could be the "gold standard" example of a movie that cheats the audience. Enticing you in with capable actors, Rebecca DeMornay, Vincent D'Onofrio, Delray Lindo, Michael Madsen, and Billy Bob Thornton, and then giving them an absolutely worthless script to work with. This thing is so scatter shot, so talky, and so ridiculous, that describing a plot would be futile. It also might give the mistaken impression that there is one. The set up of a guy who can't lose at the casino is never explored beyond the initial idea, and there is absolutely no payoff for the long suffering audience. "The Winner" is definitely a loser. - MERK

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Was Hoping for So Much More, 3 August 2002
Author: michaelbkelly (michaelbkelly@yahoo.com) from Chicago

This film had quite a bit going for it. Interesting premise... Alex Cox directing, Michael Madsen, Rebecca DeMournay, starring, Las Vegas setting..but,alas, it wasn't meant to be. I was bored throughout this film. I kept hoping that it would pick up. It just didn't! Must have looked good on paper, sure didn't on screen.

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1 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
A failure, but it's Alex Cox, so an interesting failure, 29 January 2008

Author: carnivalofsouls from Australia

Alex Cox will always be remembered for the astonishing one-two punch of 'Repo Man' and 'Sid and Nancy', yet his finest achievement was the daring, career-destroying 'Walker'. As if being exiled from the studio system wasn't enough, Cox then made the diabolically awful 'Straight To Hell' to seemingly bury any credibility he may have had left. 'The Winner' represents yet another oddity from Cox's years in the indie wilderness, but perhaps has the highest curio factor due to its eyebrow-raising ensemble cast. Yet what makes 'The Winner', ultimately, a loser, is in all fairness not attributed to Cox but rather its unimpressive, derivative, post-Tarantino screenplay (allegedly adapted from a play, presumably off-off-off-off Broadway). Cox and the cast struggle with its uneven tone and, despite Frank Whaley scoring in a hilariously slimy role, the unfunny nature of the script is barely able to justify the film's incessant stylistic zaniness. While it does work in small doses (an effective opening and a memorably odd ending), it simply isn't enjoyable enough to even warrant minor cult status. That said, it is at least a slight cut above the other interminable 'Pulp Fiction' clones that plagued the mid-to-late nineties. But what sort of endorsement is that?

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2 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
No winner here., 15 July 2007

Author: lastliberal from United States

Rebecca De Mornay - yes! Vincent D'Onofrio - yes! Delroy Lindo - yes! Michael Madsen - yes! What more could you want in a movie.

Put them in Vegas and give us a story about robbery, and you got me. yes, you got me - with a movie that just didn't seem to go anywhere. It just jumped all over the place and had no consistent theme.

Wendy Riss is just not a scriptwriter, yet. Work some more and get it right.

I expected much more from director Alex Cox, especially after the job he did with Rosario Tijeras. I was so disappointed.

Not a winner!

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2 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Movie distinguished by great writing and acting, 7 February 2003

Author: Aurelia from Los Angeles

I love this movie!! I'd love to see a copy of the script... the dialogue is amazing. Billy Bob Thornton is hilarious in a toupee. Vincent D'Onofrio is compelling as always. Every so often a movie falls between the cracks when it could have been a huge hit and I think this little gem directed by Alex Cox is one of them.

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2 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Another flawed but fascinating Alex Cox movie., 30 September 2002
Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia

Alex Cox has had a very tempestuous relationship with Hollywood over the years, and I think he has all but disowned 'The Winner', but as uneven as it is, it still makes interesting viewing. Vincent D'Onofrio ('Full Metal Jacket') plays Philip, a guy who goes into a casino every Sunday and wins. Consistently. This creates quite a stir and all kinds of people come out of the woodwork wanting a piece of the action, including a showgirl (Rebecca De Mornay - 'Runaway Train') who romances him even though she is involved with a casino heavy (Billy Bob Thornton - 'Pushing Tin'), his estranged criminal brother (Michael Madsen - 'Reservoir Dogs), a nutty wanna be mobster (Frank Whaley - 'Swimming With Sharks') and his two bumbling sidekicks (Richard Edson - 'Strange Days' and Saverio Guerra - 'Becker'). All are planning to rip him off in some fashion. While this movie doesn't completely satisfy there are enough enjoyable scenes from the outstanding supporting cast of low lifes and oddballs to make it worth watching. Delroy Lindo ('Get Shorty') plays the mysterious boss of the casino, and Cox regulars Sy Richardson and Biff Yeager pop up in brief cameos, as does the director himself. I would be very much interested in seeing Cox's own cut of 'The Winner' but until then , this is a curious movie that is worth a look. Flawed yes, but fascinating.

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0 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Spaced Out Film, 14 June 2006

Author: whpratt1 from United States

Thought quite possibly this film would be entertaining due to the fact that it was dealing with Las Vegas. After viewing a few scenes, I was completely disappointed in the story. However, the poor actors all did a great job despite their horrible scrips and story line. Rebecca DeMornay,(Louise) played a gal who has been around the block quite a few times and decides to get her eyes and claws into a certain guy who bets only on Sunday's at a casino and always wins. As soon as the guy wins large amounts of money, like $150,000. he gives all the money away and keeps about Five Thousand dollars so he can play next Sunday. Saverio Guerra,"Becker" TV Series '98-03(as Bob) makes a few brief appearances and acts just the same way he did in Becker. This is a big waste of time and not worth waisting your time.

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