dodgetazer
Bit of guilty pleasure this film.All of sudden Hollywood was quite as a church for Mars Callahan after this stinkbomb.For a movie about hustling, you'd think they would have made the hustles good. MadTV's The pool hustler sketch has better acting than this rancid turd of a film.Straight to DVD. It's like the SyFy channel made a pool film. Mega Whiteboy-Hustler vs Mega Punk-ass-lameTerrible actor, director & writer. I see 11 years later he seems to have hustled some more production money for something call Springbreak'83. 11 years........
cjr3559
This is one of those rare movies that grows on me after multiple viewings. Being an avid pool player, and holding movies like "The Hustler" (and to a lesser extent) "The Color of Money" as the all time pool classics, I didn't even pay mind to this movie until eight years after its release. And with that said, it keeps the tradition of pool hall hustling and gambling alive for Generation Xers and Yers.I admit upon first viewing there were too many distracting flaws that overwhelmed my ability to enjoy it. However, once I was able to look past its inconsistencies and get to the essence of the story and the characters, I found it to be an energetic and inspired work with some great (however small) performances by Rick Schroder, Chazz Palimenteri, Christopher Walken, and the late, great, Rod Steiger.There is no doubt that die hard pool aficionados will find the game sequences to be outlandish and exaggerated. But if I recall, so were many of the scenes in "The Hustler" and "The Color of Money". After all, this is an action movie glorifying pocket billiards. It's not an instructional video.Whether or not you really love the game of pool, the art of hustling, the risk of high stakes gambling, and the resulting camaraderie that hanging around a pool hall can bring, give this movie a try or two. I think you'll ultimately enjoy it.
bogey21
The movie overall was satisfactory. The only actors that carried the movie were the younger brother, and Walken. The leading actor Mars was not believable at all as this living on the edge billiards con man. Granted, the scenes of them playing pool was cool, and they had great trick shots, but most of the acting was sub par. Even the amazing twist in the end was crap. Throughout the movie Chaz plays this tough guy who doesn't put up with anything. So when Mars takes the shot and misses he still gets another shot? Thats stupid. He had one shot, he missed and should of paid. The whole point of the bet was to make one shot, not to win the game. Plus, after he missed the shot and tried for the other shot, Chaz should have shot him and taken the money. So, overall the movie was poorly cast, poorly acted and there shouldn't be all this hype on a movie that tries to be the "Swingers," or "Rounders," of the pool world.
A.J. Barr
Mars Callahan is a genius. This movie is smart, funny, quick and angry. Poolhall prodigy Johnny was taken in as a child and 'mentored' by hustler Joe. He realizes when he gets older that Joe has stolen his chance to be a real professional pool player, and takes revenge. Joe does not take this betrayal lightly...and metes his own retribution on Johnny and his younger (and less pool-savvy) brother, Danny. It comes down to a final game where winner takes all....literally.Mars IS an amazing pool player from childhood and all the playing and tricks done in this movie are by him.Chris Walken, Chazz Palminteri and Rod Steiger all believe in Mars Callahan's vision or they never would have done this movie. Alison Eastwood is sharp as Mars' girlfriend. All his friends in the movie are so funny...the dialogue flows so effortlessly, it almost seems ad-libbed. Even Rick Schroeder (NYPD Blue, Silver Spoons) can pull a great performance out of his butt.I have watched this movie at least 30 or 40 times. I quote dialogue (Mars' ever-evolving speech is very quotable). I hope this will become a modern cult classic. I want to say more, but I don't want to spoil anything for you. Just watch and enjoy.
AD
