Rounders (1998)

Director:

John Dahl

Writers (WGA):

David Levien (written by) &
Brian Koppelman (written by)

Release Date:

11 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Loan Shark | Poker | Truck Driver | Male Frontal Nudity | Destiny

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Thur. June 7	1:00 PM	FX
Fri. June 8	8:00 AM	FX

Cast

Matt Damon	...	Mike McDermott
Edward Norton	...	Lester 'Worm' Murphy
Paul Cicero	...	Russian Thug
John Turturro	...	Joey Knish
Ray Iannicelli	...	Kenny
Gretchen Mol	...	Jo
Famke Janssen	...	Petra
Merwin Goldsmith	...	Sy
John Malkovich	...	Teddy KGB
Martin Landau	...	Abe Petrovsky
Sonny Zito	...	Tony
Michael Rispoli	...	Grama
Melina Kanakaredes	...	Barbara
Mal Z. Lawrence	...	Irving
Josh Mostel	...	Zagosh
Lenny Clarke	...	Savino
Peter Yoshida	...	Henry Lin
Tom Aldredge	...	Judge Marinacci
Jay Boryea	...	Russian Thug #2
Lenny Venito	...	Moogie
Richard Mawe	...	Professor Eisen
Michael Lombard	...	D.A. Shields
Beeson Carroll	...	Judge Kaplan
E. Matthew Yavne	...	Professor Green (as Matthew Yavne)
Eric LaRay Harvey	...	Roy
Dominic Marcus	...	Dowling
Brian Anthony Wilson	...	Derald
George Kmeck	...	Prison Guard
Joseph Parisi	...	Property Guard
Kohl Sudduth	...	Wagner
Charlie Matthes	...	Birch
Hank Jacobs	...	Steiny
Chris Messina	...	Higgins
Michael Ryan Segal	...	Griggs
Kerry O'Malley	...	Kelly
Slava Schoot	...	Roman
Goran Visnjic	...	Maurice
Michele Zanes	...	Taj Dealer
Allan Havey	...	Guberman
Joe Vega	...	Freddy Face
Neal Hemphill	...	Claude
Vernon E. Jordan Jr.	...	Judge McKinnon
Johnny Chan	...	Himself (as Jon C. Chan)
Lisa Gorlitsky	...	Sherry
John Di Benedetto	...	LaRossa
Nicole Brier	...	Sunshine
Bill Camp	...	Eisenberg
Tony Hoty	...	Taki
Mario Mendoza	...	Zizzo
Joe Zaloom	...	Cronos
Sal Richards	...	Johnny Gold
Josh Pais	...	Weitz
John Gallagher	...	Bartender
Adam LeFevre	...	Sean Frye
P.J. Brown	...	Vitter
David Zayas	...	Osborne
Michael Arkin	...	Bear
Murphy Guyer	...	Detweiler
Alan Davidson	...	Cabbie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joey Vega	...	Face
Akiko Ashley	...	Hooker (uncredited)
Dar Billingham	...	Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)
Marcelline Block	...	Law Student (uncredited)
Tim Carr	...	Cardsharp (uncredited)
Salvatore Cavaliere	...	State Trooper (uncredited)
Hans Cozzens	...	Card player (uncredited)
Jeff DeRocker	...	(uncredited)
Brian Donahue	...	State Trooper (uncredited)
Bill Golodner	...	Russian Thug (uncredited)
Michael Griffith	...	Broke Gambler (uncredited)
Jason Hale	...	College Student (uncredited)
Roberto Lopez	...	Card Player (uncredited)
George F. Miller	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Robert Sean Miller	...	State Trooper (uncredited)
Natasha Pavlovich	...	Hostess (uncredited)
Maria Soccor	...	Atlantic City Call Girl (uncredited)
Vinny Vella	...	Card Player at KGB's (uncredited)

Directed by
John Dahl

Writing credits (WGA)
David Levien		(written by) &
Brian Koppelman		(written by)

Produced by
Bobby Cohen	....	executive producer
Ted Demme	....	producer
Tracy Falco	....	associate producer
Christopher Goode	....	associate producer
Kerry Orent	....	executive producer
Joel Stillerman	....	producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Jean-Yves Escoffier		(director of photography) (as Jean Yves Escoffier)

Film Editing by
Scott Chestnut

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Robert Pearson		(as Rob Pearson)

Art Direction by
Rick Butler

Set Decoration by
Beth Kushnick

Costume Design by
Terry Dresbach

Makeup Department
Victor DeNicola	....	key hair stylist
Rita Ogden	....	additional makeup artist
Anthony Veader	....	key hair stylist
Carla White	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Goode	....	unit production manager
Robert Hackl	....	post-production supervisor (as Robert A. Hackl)
Margo Myers	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nina Jack	....	second second assistant director
Roger Lee	....	dga trainee
Peter Leto	....	second assistant director
Christopher Swartout	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dennis Causey	....	set dresser
Ruth Ann Cicetka	....	scenic shop person (as Ruth Ann Cecetka)
Robert Currie	....	on-set dresser
Paul Dale	....	camera scenic artist
Harry Darrow	....	assistant art director
Chris DeTitta	....	leadman
Rich Devine	....	assistant props (as Richard Devine)
Rochelle Edelson	....	camera scenic artist
Tammy Feaster	....	art department production assistant
Steven Gamiello	....	second props (as Steve Gamiello)
Gilbert Gertsen	....	set dresser
Gordon Gertsen	....	set dresser
James Geyer	....	scenic artist (as Jim Geyer)
Jeffrey L. Glave	....	scenic artist
Kevin Golden	....	scenic foreman
Jonathan Graham	....	key construction grip
Judy Gurr	....	set dresser
Leo Holder	....	graphic designer
Gary Jennings	....	scenic artist
Lori Johnson	....	assistant set decorator
Timothy Joliat	....	set dresser (as Tim Joliet)
Heather Danielle Kane	....	assistant property master (as Heather Kane)
Lara Kelly	....	art department coordinator
Elina Kother	....	scenic artist
Ross La Terra	....	set dresser
Nick Miller	....	construction coordinator
John Oates Jr.	....	second
Joseph Proscia	....	set dresser (as Joe Proscia)
Ann Sherrill	....	scenic artist (as Anne Sherrill)
Ron Stone	....	property master
Mitch Towse	....	set dresser
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Peter Regnier	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Rosalie Russino	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joel Roi Aronowitz	....	second boom operator
Trip Brock	....	dialogue editor
Kent Brown	....	additional sound recordist
Michael Chandler	....	sound editor
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Cindy Jo Hinkleman	....	assistant sound editor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr mixer
Jon Johnson	....	supervising sound editor
Erick Jolley	....	assistant to sound editor
Val Kuklowsky	....	supervising adr editor
Ryan Murphy	....	sound recordist
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Miguel Rivera	....	sound editor
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator
Bruce Stubblefield	....	dialogue editor
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Mark Weingarten	....	sound
Ben Wilkins	....	sound editor
Chris Winter	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
James Brown	....	technical consultant
Edward Drohan	....	special effects
John Ottesen	....	special effects

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt trooper 1
Norman Douglass	....	stunt trooper 2
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jack Lotz	....	stunt double: Sy

Camera and Electrical Department
Donald M. Angst	....	electrician
Rafael August	....	additional electrician
Bart Blaise	....	second assistant camera
Matt Chubet	....	company grip (as Matthew Chubet)
John Corso	....	Steadicam operator
James J. Ferris	....	electrician (as Jim Ferris)
Matthew W. Flannery	....	camera loader (as Matthew Flannery)
Michael Green	....	camera operator
Pedro Hernández	....	best boy grip
Marc Hirschfeld	....	Steadicam assistant
Jerry Holway	....	Steadicam operator
Jerry Holway	....	director of photography: additional photography
Lukasz Jogalla	....	camera operator (as Lucas Jogalla)
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip (as Rich Kerekes)
Peter Koola	....	electrician
Gary Martone	....	key grip
Michael J. Maurer	....	electrician
John L. Oates	....	electrician (as John Oates)
Darren Perkell	....	second camera loader
Storn Peterson	....	first assistant camera
Scott H. Ramsey	....	gaffer
Darren Ryan	....	video assist operator
Mark Schwentner	....	best boy electric
Dustin Smith	....	dolly grip
Sean Souza	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Igor Srubshchik	....	24 frame video operator
Igor Srubshchik	....	video playback operator
Jonas Steadman	....	focus puller
Larry Steinberg	....	third grip
Franz Yeich	....	third grip
Jason Micallef	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael 'Rodi' Rodia	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting
Carol Lewis	....	casting: Los Angeles
Julie Lichter	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Anderson	....	assistant costumer
Sandi Figueroa	....	costumer
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	costume supervisor
Cheryl Kilbourne-Kimpton	....	wardrobe supervisor
Alice Levy	....	additional costumer
Emily Loreto	....	assistant costume designer
Fionnuala M. Lynch	....	additional costumer (as Fionnuala Lynch)
Bega Metzner	....	assistant costume designer
Robert Pease	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Darren Block	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
John Scott Cook	....	first assistant editor
Jim Cricchi	....	assistant editor
Stephen M. Rickert Jr.	....	assistant editor
Richard J. Rossi	....	first assistant editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Greg Dennen	....	scoring crew
George Doering	....	musician
Lori L. Eschler	....	music editor: temp music (as Lori Eschler Frystak)
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Rick Frystak	....	music consultant (as Ricky Frystak)
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: Percussion
Tanya Noel Hill	....	music editor
Jon Kull	....	orchestrator
Thomas Milano	....	additional music editor
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Jonathan Price	....	orchestrator
Jonathan Price	....	scoring coordinator
David Reynolds	....	score coordinator
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music supervisor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Gernot Wolfgang	....	scoring coordinator
Christopher Young	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Bill Barvin	....	location manager
Tom Biglin	....	photo double: Edward Norton
Carmella Caridi	....	production counsel
Brian Carmichael	....	playback video operator
Drew Clarke	....	assistant: Matt Damon
Wendy Cohen	....	clearance
Barbra Dannov	....	assistant: Joel Stillerman
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Jennifer Demme	....	set production assistant
Guy Efrat	....	location scout
Meryl Emmerton	....	assistant production coordinator
Jason Farrar	....	unit production assistant
Samuel V. Franco	....	assistant to producer
Cliff Fuller	....	office production assistant
Christopher Gambale	....	assistant to harvey weinstein
Ginger Gonzalez	....	set production assistant
Pamela Hirsch	....	office production assistant
Leah Holmes	....	post production accountant
Mandy Key	....	assistant to cast (as Amanda Key)
Kenneth M. Kroll	....	production accountant (as Ken Kroll)
Cara Leibovitz	....	unit publicist
Lynn Lewis Lovett	....	script supervisor
Bill McAdams Jr.	....	photo double: Matt Damon
Steve McAuliff	....	animal wrangler
Michael McBrien	....	production assistant
Donna McLeer	....	assistant: Mr. Demme (as Donna Cintorrino)
Stacia Peters	....	development assistant: Joel Stillerman
Cesar Quinones	....	location scout
Demian Resnick	....	location assistant
Sam Rohn	....	location scout
Michael Scelza	....	poker technical consultant
Ted Shields	....	set production assistant
Susan Strine	....	assistant accountant
Sheryl Swann	....	assistant: John Dahl
Will Sweeney	....	assistant to executive producer
Andrew Vogliano	....	production secretary
Tara Walls	....	product placement
Stan Wiencko	....	set production assistant
Andrew Zolot	....	production coordinator
Cheri Zucca	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Seth Jaret	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• Spanky Pictures

Distributors

• New Films International (1998) (non-USA) (all media)
• Miramax Films (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (1999) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1999) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1999) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sky Jemah Films (1999) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1999) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Gativideo (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Animal Actors  animals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Fury & Grace Digital  sound design
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals
• International Recording  sound post-production (as International Recording Corporation)
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as Jo Ann Kane Music Services)
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Panavision  camera and dollies (as Panavision New York)
• Sound One  adr

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong language, some sexuality and brief drug use

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The playing cards used during both games at KGB's place are a deck of red and a deck of blue backed Arrow-design, standard index, wide plastic cellulose-acetate cards of the KEM range manufactured by the United States Playing Card Co.

Goofs:

Factual errors: New York State Police cars are shown with blue and red lights on their roofs, but in New York, the State Police use only red lights.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Veronica Mars: An Echolls Family Christmas (#1.10)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

I Hate Myself For Loving You

You Read The Opponent, Not The Cards

Rounders is a story of a pair of prep school buddies, Matt Damon and Edward Norton, who are a pair of poker sharks. Damon's used his winnings to pay for law school and Norton's gone on to other enterprises like identity theft which has landed him a stretch in prison.

Damon after being taken to the cleaners by Russian mob guy John Malkovich has given up poker for law school. Norton's finishing his stretch in the joint and as it turns out he owes Malkovich some heavy duty debt. He's needing some help, especially after leg breaker Michael Rispoli gives Norton a sample of what he can expect.

Damon owes Norton as well for not ratting him out on some prep school scam that could have gotten him expelled like Norton. Needless to say he goes back into the life.

I'm willing to wager (no pun intended) that because Rounders came out right after Good Will Hunting that this was a project intended for Damon and Ben Affleck. I think Ben probably showed good sense in thinking he was not quite right for the role. Certainly Norton who plays some really edgy characters was far better for the role of Lester 'Worm' Murphy.

Damon does all right for himself as the standup Mike McDermott. He also because he discharges the debt he owes Norton, realizes that he should follow his dream as well. What it is and how the film ends I won't say, but if you have a dream you have to follow it because you won't know if you don't try.

In addition to everything else Rounders is quite a look into the world of professional gambling. As Damon says even if you play it honest, it's far more skill than luck. You read the opponent, not the cards.

Rounders was a great career followup to the acclaimed Good Will Hunting for Matt Damon. Even if you're not a gambler by nature, this film will fascinate one.