My Favorite Movies: Number 63

Rounders (1998)

You can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you can't win much either. 

This movie is chock-full of great poker one-liners, and the acting chops to pull them off. Matt Damon, Ed Norton, John Turturro and John Malkovich play perfectly together as there seems to be few wasted scenes when one of these foursome is present, and a couple great sequences between Damon’s protagonist and Malkovich’s Russian foe.

Damon’s narrating is a great complement to the on screen performances, guiding viewers to the intricacies of the card game, as well as the inner thoughts of Damon’s strategy. What makes this great, as in gambling, is that sometimes the narrations of his thoughts don’t play out how he imagines, sometimes he’s right sometimes he gets played. This realistic interpretation of a confident, if not cocky, gambler is a great window into the mental game of poker.

This isn’t a grand cinematic achievement like Damon’s Good Will Hunting, but rather an enjoyable movie with great acting by great actors, intelligent dialogue, with a convincing plot. It’s entertaining, quotable, and rewatchable which is why I consider it one of my favorite films.