High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003) Stuey (original title)

Director:

A.W. Vidmer

Writer:

A.W. Vidmer (written by)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Gambler. Addict. Loser. Legend.

Plot:

Based on the true story of the rise and fall of poker legend Stu "The Kid" Ungar. |

Plot Keywords:

Legend | Poker | Gambler | Gambling | Card Playing

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Al Bernstein	...	Himself
Andrew N.S. Glazer	...	Himself
Michael Imperioli	...	Stu Ungar
Brian Kaplan	...	John Strzemp
Michael Pasternak	...	The Stranger
Jonathan Press	...	Young Stu
Evan Broder	...	Goldstein
Todd Susman	...	Max Ungar
Tommy Canary	...	Sol
Peggy Walton-Walker	...	Flo Unger
A.W. Vidmer	...	Gin Victim
Michael Nouri	...	Vincent
Lon Gary	...	Poker Player #1
David Dwyer	...	Poker Player #2 (as David S. Dwyer)
Steve Schirripa	...	Anthony (as Steven R. Schirripa)
Johnny Dark	...	Johnny
Pat Morita	...	Mr. Leo
Renee Faia	...	Angela
Richard Cowl	...	Gus
Robert Archer Lynn	...	Waiter (as Robert Lynn)
Matthew Carlton	...	Carmine (as Matt Carlton)
Jeffrey Alfiero	...	Spud
Perry Poston	...	Gino
Nate Bynum	...	Gerald
Bob Dellaposta	...	Emcee
Cynthia Brimhall	...	Sondra
Diana Saunders	...	Poker Hostess
Vincent Van Patten	...	Jimmy D.
Ransom Gates	...	Arnie
Joe La Due	...	DJ (as Joe LaDue)
John Lombardo	...	Mario
Andy Jarrell	...	WSOP Announcer
James A. Fulton	...	WSOP Opponent
Joe Keenan	...	Herman
William Johnson	...	Walter (as William Patrick Johnson)
Eric Randall	...	TV Announcer
Shaina Krashin	...	Young Nicole
Anthony DiMaria	...	Tony
Sam Phaphol	...	Asian Poker Player
Bill Allison	...	Floorman (as William Allison)
Schatar Sapphira	...	Dealer (as Schatar Sapphirra White)
Vanessa Rene Gall	...	Older Nicole
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kelly Adkins	...	Escort in Limo (uncredited)
Antonio Badrani	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Justine Baker	...	Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)
Larry Bartels	...	Dealer (uncredited)
Kerry Bishop	...	Kate (uncredited)
Harv Lawrence	...	Old Duffer (uncredited)
Elizabeth Regal	...	Casino Girl (uncredited)
Craig Sawyer	...	Book Vendor (uncredited)
Lina So	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
A.W. Vidmer

Writing credits
A.W. Vidmer		(written by)

Produced by
Dee Butler	....	associate producer
Nancy M. Grinder	....	executive producer
F.A. Miller	....	producer
A.W. Vidmer	....	executive producer
A.W. Vidmer	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeff Eden Fair
Starr Parodi

Cinematography by
Larry Boothby		(as Lawrence Boothby)

Film Editing by
A.W. Vidmer

Casting by
Ray Favero

Production Design by
Shay Austin

Art Direction by
John Profant
Duncan Ragsdale

Costume Design by
Caroline Melcor

Makeup Department
Linda Demith	....	key hair stylist
Jim Sacca	....	key makeup artist
Paula Turner	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Eddie Fickett	....	unit production manager (as Edward Fickett)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Bernstein	....	second assistant director
Tom Blank	....	first assistant director (as Thomas J. Blank)

Sound Department
Matt Gundy	....	sound editor
Dan Lipe	....	boom operator
Brian Fredrickson	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeff Fisher	....	best boy electric
Tonia Floyd	....	gaffer
Justin Hughes	....	grip
Jeremy Settles	....	electrician
Mike Silverberg	....	electrician
Charlie Tollefson	....	grip
Sammy Vassilev	....	assistant camera (as Sammy Popov)
Gary Sauer	....	best boy grip: Las Vegas (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lyn Richmond Galin	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Meredith J. Murray	....	costumer
Rachel A. Walker	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Bill Mochon	....	color timer

Music Department
Laurie Higgins Tobias	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
William P. Davis	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Liz Graham	....	script supervisor
Ryan Keating	....	photo double: Michael Imperioli
Ryan Keating	....	stand-in: Michael Imperioli
Karen McIntyre	....	first assistant production accountant
Michael A. Rizza	....	stand-in: Michael Imperioli
Michael Saleman	....	production attorney
Mark Sizemore	....	production assistant
Brian A. Williams	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• AWV Productions

Distributors

• New Line Home Video

Also Known As:

"Stuey" - USA (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity

Runtime:

120 min | USA:110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Singapore:M18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Tennessee, USA

Company:

AWV Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jewish funerals never have open caskets. Therefore, Stuey's father would not have been laid out in an open casket at his funeral.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Al Bernstein:Welcome back, everybody, to the 1997 World Series of Poker, where Stu "The Kid" Ungar is attempting to make one of the greatest comebacks in poker history, by winning the no-limit Texas Hold'em Championship a record third time.
Andrew N.S. Glazer:And Al, the amazing thing about this is, that Stuey would be achieving that feat after sixteen years of personal struggle, where victories were really few and far between.
Al Bernstein:And standing between Stuey and history is John Stremp, a local casino executive who's shown remarkable fortitude, actually, in making it to this point. And here it is, Stu is raising enough to put Stremp all in.
[...]

Soundtrack:

YESTERDAYS

a tale so extraordinary you have to see it to believe it

stuey unger was a card playing legend. he was quoted in an interview as saying, "Some day, I suppose it's possible for someone to be a better No Limit Hold'em player than me. I doubt it, but it could happen. But, I swear to you, I don't see how anyone could ever play gin better than me." there's a gin rummy scene in this movie that is so amazing you could have plopped it in 'X-Men' as a showcase for a superhero's mutant power. that's how incredible this man was.

i have a few minor problems with this movie. as dark as this movie was, stuey's real life was darker. poker pro todd brunson said, "During the last World Series of poker, Bob Stupak, Mike Sexton and I had a drink and talked about Stu. Mike told us how he could barely talk, hadn't showered in weeks and how his fingers were burned black by a crack pipe." in the film, michael imperioli looked far too healthy to be stu unger in the final years of his life. when stuey won his last wsop he looked like a skeleton, but let's face it, this production lacked both the time and the "deniro" to make that kind of transformation. my other problem was that i wish there was more poker playing, with actual hands and situations. sure it might have bored the average non poker enthusiast, but it would have been nice for the hardcores. too bad the movie wasn't 6 hours or so longer.

i watched the movie with 3 non poker players and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. just like you don't have to be a former member of the colonial army to enjoy Gibson's "the patriot", you don't have to be a poker player to see this gem. can't wait for the DVD. (8 out of 10)