Watch & Learn
Poker is ingrained in popular culture. This fact is evident through different channels; its popularity has encouraged the development of online poker and is widely publicized in many well-known tourist destinations. Most importantly, the game of skill and chance is frequently employed as a dramatic element in films to create on-screen tension. Surroundings of casinos, poker clubs, and at-home poker tournaments are also notable as filming locations. Filmgoers who want to learn more about the game of poker can learn a lot from watching poker movies, and these are some of the best to learn from.
Rounders
If there is one poker film that should be on the watch list of every poker player and fan, it has to be Rounders. Rounders, starring Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich, and Gretchen Mol and released in 1998, was the first poker film to make meaningful references to Texas Hold’em, a game variation that was about to sweep the globe by storm.
The film recounts a very straightforward story about Mike McDermott, a young gun who dreams of becoming a professional player and trying his luck in Vegas. Although a brilliant player, Mike lacks the notion of bankroll management, and he loses his whole pot in a high-stakes game against Teddy KGB. Following the defeat, Mike tells himself and his fiancée that he will stop playing poker for good. However, when Mike’s friend Worm is released from prison and finds himself in desperate need of money, he returns to the tables, and the two embark on an odyssey filled with poker and adrenaline.
Finders Fee
A group of pals play a weekly home game in which they all buy lottery tickets, and the winner of their sit-and-go gets to keep all of them. Unfortunately, it stops being entertaining when one of them discovers the winning ticket in a misplaced wallet, and its rightful owner arrives just in time for the game to begin. The only notable celebrities at the time of Finder’s Fee were James Earl Jones and Robert Foster, but it also starred Ryan Reynolds, Dash Mihok, and Matthew Lillard before they were famous.
Finder’s Fee is a gritty investigation of how wealth poisons the souls of good people and turns them into monsters. Throughout the film, we see good people descend into evil psychopaths who don’t care who gets hurt as long as they are paid. Unfortunately, despite a terrific script, Jeff Probst, better known as the host of Survivor, wrote and directed this film, and his inexperience as a director shows. Thankfully, the screenplay trumps the direction in the end, and we are utterly engrossed in a poker game involving $6 million and human decency.
Maverick
Maverick was a cinematic adaptation of a 1950s television program about 5 Card Draw competitions. It follows a con artist’s journey to raise enough money to enter a high-stakes 5 Card Draw tournament. The film depicts betrayal after betrayal and everything a man will do for a chance at the poker tables.
It’s a classic that demonstrates the excitement of an old poker variant we still play today. Another reason is that it takes a realistic approach to a player’s life, which is still applicable now. We believe it could use an update to make it more current, but if you’re searching for a great poker movie to watch, Maverick should be at the top of your list.
The Cincinnati Kid
Some of the most captivating poker-playing moments ever recorded for a fiction picture can be found in Norman Jewison’s The Cincinnati Kid. Eric Stoner, called The Cincinnati Kid, is a burgeoning poker pro in 1930s New Orleans determined to rise through the ranks of the best players in town. Stoner targets Lancey Howard, the best and most accomplished player in the game. As Stoner rises through the ranks, he meets Lancey in a spectacular heads-up, winner-take-all game of five-card stud.
Molly’s Game
Aaron Sorkin directed this fascinating true story of Molly Bloom. She hosted high-stakes poker games attended by the wealthy and famous before facing an FBI investigation and criminal charges. This one will truly teach you the art of bluffing and much more.
