Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Poolhall Junkies

  • 2002
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Christopher Walken, Chazz Palminteri, Alison Eastwood, and Mars Callahan in Poolhall Junkies (2002)
A talented pool hustler who has stayed out of the game for years, must go back to his old ways when his little brother gets involved with his enemy, the very man who held him back from greatness.
Play trailer2:15
1 Video
56 Photos
ComedyDramaSport

A talented pool hustler who has stayed out of the game for years, must go back to his old ways when his little brother gets involved with his enemy, the very man who held him back from great... Read allA talented pool hustler who has stayed out of the game for years, must go back to his old ways when his little brother gets involved with his enemy, the very man who held him back from greatness.A talented pool hustler who has stayed out of the game for years, must go back to his old ways when his little brother gets involved with his enemy, the very man who held him back from greatness.

  • Director
    • Mars Callahan
  • Writers
    • Mars Callahan
    • Chris Corso
  • Stars
    • Mars Callahan
    • Chazz Palminteri
    • Michael Rosenbaum
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mars Callahan
    • Writers
      • Mars Callahan
      • Chris Corso
    • Stars
      • Mars Callahan
      • Chazz Palminteri
      • Michael Rosenbaum
    • 120User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
    • 36Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos56

    Alison Eastwood at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Alison Eastwood at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Alison Eastwood at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Brook Kerr at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Chazz Palminteri at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Chazz Palminteri at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Larry King and Shawn Ora Engemann at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    LeAnn Rimes at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    LeAnn Rimes at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    LeAnn Rimes at an event for Poolhall Junkies (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mars Callahan
    Mars Callahan
    • Johnny
    Chazz Palminteri
    Chazz Palminteri
    • Joe
    Michael Rosenbaum
    Michael Rosenbaum
    • Danny
    Ricky Schroder
    Ricky Schroder
    • Brad
    • (as Rick Schroder)
    Rod Steiger
    Rod Steiger
    • Nick
    Alison Eastwood
    Alison Eastwood
    • Tara
    Phillip Glasser
    Phillip Glasser
    • Max
    Anson Mount
    Anson Mount
    • Chris
    Glenn Plummer
    Glenn Plummer
    • Chico
    Richard Portnow
    Richard Portnow
    • Toupee Jay
    Ernie Reyes Jr.
    Ernie Reyes Jr.
    • Tang
    Peter Mark Richman
    Peter Mark Richman
    • Phillip
    Christopher Walken
    Christopher Walken
    • Mike
    Mike Massey
    • Louis
    Orien Richman
    Orien Richman
    • Brett
    Shannon Engemann
    Shannon Engemann
    • Beth
    Peter Dobson
    Peter Dobson
    • Cory
    Kristina Santoro
    • Scarlet
    • Director
      • Mars Callahan
    • Writers
      • Mars Callahan
      • Chris Corso
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Strange Wilderness
    5.2
    Strange Wilderness
    The Locusts
    6.1
    The Locusts
    True Believer
    6.7
    True Believer
    Black Irish
    6.9
    Black Irish
    Suicide Kings
    6.9
    Suicide Kings
    Someone Behind the Door
    5.8
    Someone Behind the Door
    Deuces Wild
    5.6
    Deuces Wild
    Knockaround Guys
    6.1
    Knockaround Guys
    SLC Punk!
    7.4
    SLC Punk!
    Rounders
    7.3
    Rounders
    4 Kings
    4 Kings
    Boiler Room
    7.0
    Boiler Room

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Christopher Walken made the difficult trick shot to win the match against Tara's (Eastwood) boss on the first take. He was supposed to make a "trial run" for the scene, but he asked that the cameras go ahead and roll, in case he happened to make it on his first try, and he did.
    • Goofs
      In the beginning of the film, the letter from the pro tour had an 888 number to call. Later the moves states "15 years later" to bring it to the present. There were no 888 numbers 15 years ago.
    • Quotes

      Mike: You watch those nature documentaries on the cable? You see the one about lions? You got this lion. He's the king of the jungle, huge mane out to here. He's laying under a tree, in the middle of Africa. He's so big, it's so hot. He doesn't want to move. Now the little lions come, they start messing with him. Biting his tail, biting his ears. He doesn't do anything. The lioness, she starts messing with him. Coming over, making trouble. Still nothing. Now the other animals, they notice this. They start to move in. The jackals; hyenas. They're barking at him, laughing at him. They nip his toes, and eat the food that's in his domain. They do this, then they get closer and closer, bolder and bolder. Till one day, that lion gets up and tears the shit out of everybody. Runs like the wind, eats everything in his path. Cause every once in a while, the lion has to show the jackals, who he is.

    • Crazy credits
      During the end credits, a brief scene is played where Danny and Max bet Chris and Tang that Scarlet's breasts are fake.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Little Man (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Payback
      Written by James Brown, John Starks and Fred Wesley

      Performed by James Brown

      Unichappell Music, Inc. o/b/o Dynatone Publishing Company (BMI)

      Courtesy of Polydor Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews120

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Good hustle
    You wouldn't be wrong for mistaking Poolhall Junkies as a cocky vanity project for writer/director/star Gregory 'Mars' Callahan (who looks like Jason Lee and Casey Affleck had an affably obnoxious man-baby). Still, it's a slick, snappy sports romp, propelled by a spectacular funky score, and, with the help of some choice casting, more fun than it has any right to be. The story is a tale as old as time, but Callahan wisely ricochets off the main criticism with the most beloved Paul Newman pool precedents (too much talk, not enough pool!), and recognizes that a sterling sports movie is made in its games, not the background drama. The pool hall scenes are flawlessly shot (pun!) with vivacious, crackling energy, and plentiful enough to keep the film breezy and bumping.

    The writing on the whole is about as high school calibre as you'd expect, from the hip smack talk posturing which reaches eye-rolling heights at times, to each and every poor female characters, risibly written as 'Male Love Interest Validation Device 101' (Alison Eastwood - yes, Clint's daughter - gamely shoulders the worst of this). Still, some exchanges are goofy enough to genuinely raise laughs, and the cast are all so visibly relaxed and cheery it's hard not to take to them. Callahan himself aces the cocksure swagger, which is enough to carry him through his less impressive melodramatic asides, and he shares some good banter with his younger brother, played by Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum, who, with hair, recalls the wholesome cheekiness of a young Paul Rudd.

    Chazz Palminteri's thuggish backer-turned-mortal enemy and Christopher Walken's 'Daddy Warbucks deus ex-machina' may be dopily motivated plot devices rather than characters, but they're both hugely charismatic enough to make it worth the while. Palminteri may be the most stereotypical mobster actor in the industry, but he pours on the threat here, while Walken matches him with enough sly jubilance to reaffirm him as the coolest cat around, owning two characteristic monologues, and nailing an impossibly hard trick shot in one take. Finally, Rod Steiger is delightfully gruff as the pool hall owner with a heart of gold in his final film appearance here.

    There are few surprises here as the plot doles out, but the hustling extends beyond the narrative: Poolhall Junkies is too jaunty and enjoyable not to take to. It's not as thought out or engaging as The Hustler (or even The Colour of Money), but Callahan keeps things energetic throughout, and benefits from going shot for shot between pool and drama. Whenever the balls are racked and James Brown blares, Poolhall Junkies has too much moxie not to drink the kool aid, and soak up the sweat of the pool hall anew.

    -7/10
    helpful•1
    0
    • pyrocitor
    • May 4, 2016

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 28, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Última jugada
    • Filming locations
      • Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
    • Production companies
      • Gold Circle Films
      • Cutting Edge Entertainment
      • Newman/Tooley Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $563,711
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $301,856
      • Mar 2, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $563,711
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Christopher Walken, Chazz Palminteri, Alison Eastwood, and Mars Callahan in Poolhall Junkies (2002)
    Top Gap
    What is the French language plot outline for Poolhall Junkies (2002)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.