Rounders

“Throw your cards the moment you can’t win.” – Jo, “Rounders”

John Dahl’s “Rounders” (1998) reminded me of an epic Indian mythology, “The Mahabharata.” People familiar with “The Mahabharata” will recall that the bloody battle was fought when the Pandavas lost their kingdom to the Kauravas in a game of dice. All bets were placed, and the Pandavas lost everything, including all their wealth; they were banished from the kingdom for twenty years. As if losing the wealth was not enough--Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas brothers--gambled himself, his brothers, and his wife over this game. The hope of winning the next bet blinded Yudhishtira to the point of no return. In this aspect, the characters gamble in “Rounders” as if there is no tomorrow. Likewise, the identities of characters in “Rounders” are no different from the characters from “The Mahabharata.”

The characters in “”Rounders” start with small bets and then gradually leap to bigger bets, after which they either lose everything or win it all. At the start, we meet Mike (Matt Damon), who has lost everything in a game of poker to Teddy KGB (John Malkovich). Staying out of trouble, and especially away from a poker table, Mike is presently living with his girlfriend, Jo (Gretchen Mol).  Jo suspects Mike is still playing poker, fearing she might lose him again. Mike’s close buddy, Worm (Ed Norton), is released from prison, and he is pulled into Worm’s mess. Soon, Mike finds out that Worm is buried under debt from KGB, and both have a week to pay off KGB’s debt.

“Rounders” raises an important question: Is poker only about gambling? Or is the game about skill? A professional poker player will tell you that the game is solely about skill and mind reading. So, then why is the money on the table? Well, as explained in the bonus feature, the money is used solely for rewarding the players. But looking from the outside, there are varying perspectives. In Mike’s case, one can argue that because of his skills, the money factor is amped up a bit. In the beginning, Mike is circumspect and constantly thinks hard about the big picture and repercussions of playing poker. Mike is fully aware that once he enters the world of poker again, there is no turning back. He has lost a great deal by falling in a circular trap to improve his failed bets. As a poker player, Mike possesses the canny ability to read the facial expressions of his opponents. He exasperates his opponents by repeatedly enticing them into making the wrong moves. Nonetheless, looking at Mike’s story, one can argue that poker is only about gambling, and the players’ skills are a secondary aspect in the game play.

Contrary to Mike’s character, Worm is all about playing poker. He is disinterested in evaluating the ramifications of his involvement, and his presence further complicates things for Mike. Worm possesses immense skills in understanding the nuts and bolts of a poker game, and Mike sees Worm as his mentor. On the personal front, Worm views Jo’s presence in Mike’s life as an obstruction for Mike. But worm realizes that Mike is walking a fine line with Jo, and that Mike has made a choice in his life to be this way, at least for now. Indeed, the exchanges between Norton and Damon are engaging, and they further build the tension and enhance the drama.

Matt Damon surprised everyone, when with Ben Affleck he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Good Will Hunting” (1997). Similarly, Edward Norton was in demand after his stunning debut in “Primal Fear” (1996). Expectations were high for “Rounders,” and the two young actors don’t disappoint, as they perform like experienced actors. Norton playing a rebellious, carefree character, sets the tone for the actor’s later career. A few months after the release of “Rounders,” Norton directed his first movie, “American History X” (1998), following it with another over-the-top, ultraviolent movie, “Fight Club” (1999). Matt Damon, on the other hand, presents a calm character that also became a hallmark of his later movies like “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999). Surely, the impact of “Rounders” is evident in the careers of Damon and Norton, and it’s a significant movie in their filmography.

On the surface, “Rounders” looks like a neo-noir film, in which the characters are taken to a modern setting, and the noir elements are still intact. However, a deeper examination reveals a different story. Supported by a dark palette, “Rounders” tries to be a noir in its depiction of an underground poker club, shadowy alleyways, and mean villains, but the story itself is not twisted enough. In fact, in the climax the movie becomes very predictable and mellow. Still, a few noir thematic elements work interestingly well. In addition, the filmmakers have realistically developed the poker world. The poker game feels like a showdown from a Western movie; the only difference, instead of guns and bullets, we have cards and money. But eventually, it’s a mind game, and one’s chance of winning depends on how quickly he outsmarts his opponents.

Certainly, “Rounders” is not without a few issues. First, the film’s villain is problematic. Malkovich playing a Russian goon sounds exciting, but when he arrives in the final act, I felt it was too late. Throughout the film, we are made to believe that KGB is an unforgiving, callous gambler, but his sequences are underwhelming, as they don’t do justice to Malkovich’s character. Malkovich is over-the-top in his performance and it’s hard to take his character seriously. On a few occasions, Malkovich sounds like Werner Herzog, and you are left to wonder about the authenticity of his accent. In addition, the ordinary third act fails to heighten the drama and suspense developed by the first two acts. Worm is almost taken out of the equation in the final act, and Mike’s decision to gamble again, alone, leaves an empty hole in the story. After all, Mike is gambling so that he can pay off Worm’s debt.

Still, looking back almost thirteen years after its release, “Rounders” has become an interesting retrospective film in the careers of Matt Damon and Edward Norton that is entertaining even today.

Video:

“Rounders” arrives to Blu-ray in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded using an MPEG-4/AVC codec. Shot on 35mm, the print appears in good shape, with no signs of dirt or scratches. Grain is visible in the nighttime scenes, but it’s never detracting. The transfer retains remarkable detail and sharpness, especially in the nighttime sequences. Shot mainly indoors, the film boosts solid blacks, with well-defined shadows. The close-ups have nice detail, too, but occasionally they are rather soft. The skin tones are lifelike as well. In a few long shots, the sharpness is inconsistent. The 1080p, overall, is good looking, and in spite of minor issues, the transfer improves on the previous DVD release.

Audio:

Being a dialogue-driven movie, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track performs well, as expected. The dialogue is smooth, although I felt the sound level was a bit too low. There are no loud explosions or gunshots, and the movie is mainly driven by the front channels. The filmmakers have paid close attention in capturing the ambient sounds of the busy NYC downtown.

Extras:

First, we get two audio commentary tracks. One is with the director, screenwriter, and actor, Edward Norton. This is an interesting track in which we get insights on motivation for the movie. The director explains the challenges involved in developing the poker world for the film. The second commentary track is with professional poker players. This track provides detail about the professional aspect of the game play.

Up next, we get a regular behind-the-scenes featurette in which director John Dahl discuss the meaning of “Rounders,” as applicable to the film. The filmmakers talk about how they created a realistic story by bringing in the elements from real-life poker clubs. Following this, in “Inside the professional Poker” we see several professional players talk about how professional players view a game of poker in comparison to nonprofessional players. For a professional player, playing poker is not gambling; in fact, it is more about skills than anything else. Next, “Champion Poker Tips” brings in four professional poker players and they give some tips about the game.

Parting Thoughts:

“Rounders” consistently appears in the list of all-time great poker movies. The film has a cult following, owing to the presence of its two promising young leads. Overall, the film is entertaining, but it misses the mark due to an underwhelming final act. The Blu-ray offers a strong transfer, a good audio track, and a slew of insightful extras. Attractively priced, fans of Edward Norton and Matt Damon won’t be disappointed with this release.