The Grand (2007)

An improvisational comedy using a handful of actors playing characters competing in an actual poker tournament.

Director:

Zak Penn

Writers:

Zak Penn, Matt Bierman

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Dennis Farina

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Harrelson	...	One Eyed Jack Faro
David Cross	...	Larry Schwartzman
Dennis Farina	...	LBJ 'Deuce' Fairbanks
Cheryl Hines	...	Lainie Schwartzman
Richard Kind	...	Andy Andrews
Chris Parnell	...	Harold Melvin
Werner Herzog	...	The German
Jason Alexander	...	Dr. Yakov Achmed
Ray Romano	...	Fred Marsh
Mike Epps	...	Reggie Marshall
Judy Greer	...	Sharon Andrews
Gabe Kaplan	...	Seth Schwartzman
Michael Karnow	...	Mike Werbe
Michael McKean	...	Steve Lavisch
Julie Claire	...	Dr. Jamie Sellers

Storyline

An improvisational comedy using a handful of actors playing characters competing in an actual poker tournament.

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Plot Keywords:

improvisational comedy | poker | poker tournament | casino | mockumentary | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about the fine art of losing

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Zak Penn Project

Filming Locations:

Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino - 129 Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$16,454 (USA) (21 March 2008)

Gross:

$114,669 (USA) (25 April 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Insomnia Media Group, Eleven Eleven Films, IMG Film 7

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script was barely 29 pages long. Zak Penn had the actors improvise.

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Goofs

Commentator Phil Godon calls a hand King-Jack of clubs, but the display shows it as King of Spades and Jack of Clubs.

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Quotes

L.B.J. Deuce Fairbanks: Will you take a look at all of this crap.
[Indicating the modern Las Vegas strip.]
L.B.J. Deuce Fairbanks: Buried underneath all of this is a history; history of Las Vegas. It's the place where Moe Dalitz opened up his first burlesque club. Place where you can find a thirteen year old in a whorehouse if that was your pleasure. It was a place where the Jews and the blacks had to enter the casinos through rear entrances. By the way, on this corner right here, I stabbed a bum.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 22 March 2008 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Wisdom"
Written by Anton Newcombe
Performed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Courtesy of The Committee To Keep Music Evil
Under License from Tepid Peppermint Wonderland, Ltd.

User Reviews

The Grand - Puncturing the Pomposity of Poker

So I managed to see The Grand a little while ago at the Puerto Vallarta Film Festival... I had no idea what to expect, as I am admittedly not particularly familiar with the director's other work. I knew some of the actors, but I'm not intimately familiar with their work, either, except for Woody Harrelson. I am a poker fan, though, so I was excited on that front. Well, let me just say that sometimes it's good to go in with no expectations because you can really find yourself getting blown away.

Woody is the biggest name in the movie and one of the funniest. He plays Jack Faro, a down-on-his-luck guy who is trying to save the Rabbit's Foot Casino by winning The Grand poker tournament. David Cross from Arrested Development, Chris Parnell from Saturday Night Live and Cheryl Hines from Curb Your Enthusiasm are also in the movie and are all hilarious. Cross does a fine job letting the air out of those poker players who are so full of themselves.

There are real poker stars in the movie. My favorite, as my friends will attest to, is Phil Gordon, who is funny in the movie along with his announcing partner Mike Werbe. Werbe is like the Ron Popeil of poker. I think I need to learn the Werbe method for my weekly game. (Those of you who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about.) I could go on, but I don't want to give anything away. From what I've read, the guys in the movie actually played the poker straight and they didn't know who was going to win or lose, so the movie was intriguing for its comedy and its poker. Who wants to watch a fixed hand like in ROunders? This is the real deal. Imagine if the World Series of Poker was a comedy like Spinal Tap or something and you have The Grand.

I definitely will recommend it to my friends when it hits theaters and I'll definitely go see it with them (and I usually won't see a movie in the theater twice.)