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Rounders (1998)

 -  Crime | Drama  -  11 September 1998 (USA)
7.3
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Ratings: 7.3/10 from 86,028 users   Metascore: 54/100
Reviews: 277 user | 122 critic | 32 from Metacritic.com

A young man is a reformed gambler who must return to playing big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks.

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Title: Rounders (1998)

Rounders (1998) on IMDb 7.3/10

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
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Paul Cicero ...
Russian Thug
...
Joey Knish
...
Kenny
...
Jo
...
Merwin Goldsmith ...
Sy
...
...
Sonny Zito ...
Tony
...
Grama
...
Barbara
...
Irving
...
Zagosh
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Storyline

A young man is a reformed gambler who must return to playing big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks.

Add Full Plot | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

You've got to play the hand you're dealt. See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong language, some sexuality and brief drug use | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

Language:

| |

Release Date:

11 September 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

A Vida É Um Jogo  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£188,946 (UK) (20 November 1998)

Gross:

£188,946 (UK) (20 November 1998)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

,  »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Early on, Mike is seen taking money out of a poker book called "Super System", which was written by poker legend Doyle Brunson. He later pulls quotes from the book with the lines "Texas Hold 'em is the Cadillac of poker games" and "The trick to no limit is to put a man to a decision for all his chips." See more »

Goofs

The baseball cap jumps on and off the bed when Mike is talking to his girlfriend after the judges' game. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Mike McDermott: Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Richard Roeper & the Movies: Iron Man 2 (2010) See more »

Soundtracks

"Funk #49"
Written by Walsh, Fox & Peters
Published by MCA Music Publishing
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
This is NOT a Hold 'Em Tutorial
12 July 2005 | by (Greensboro, NC) – See all my reviews

This film was unjustly panned as lethargic and bleak without a purpose. Considering how Hold 'Em has developed into one of the biggest social fads in the last decade, I would say that this film captures every emotional aspect the 'swings' of No Limit typically carry.

I had absolutely no idea how to play the game when I first saw this movie about five years ago. The dialogue is wrought with jargon that almost makes a mockery of itself. Especially since much of the movie is done with voice-over, I can see where critics are coming from. However, the viewer should not allow themselves to get bogged down with it all, we get the gist with well-developed staging and performances.

Damon and Norton play off each other better than Damon and Affleck. Though the story echoes in the wake of Scorsese's 'Mean Streets', the performances seem more detailed than the Keitel/DeNiro combo. The supporting roles add great depth to the film, and Tutorro shines as the wise-old has-been that successfully provides Damon's character with the cold-hard truth he never seems to adhere to (until it is too late).

Above all, we feel compelled to cheer for Damon's Mike McDermott the ENTIRE time. He acknowledges his 'bad' play but constantly tries to explain that this is a game of skill and not luck. This is an important element considering the widely accepted belief that any success in gambling is the result of luck. This may be true in the bloodsucking casinos, but in Hold 'Em you play the chips AND the man.

Now that baseball is out of the Olympics, perhaps we will see a push for a true "WORLD Series of Poker". Then again, I also wanted to see 'Four Square' made into an official event when I was 8, so maybe I'm just talking out of my ass...

Should be commended as a precursor to a pandemic fad that is costing teens (and their parents) millions daily.

*** (of ****)


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