Watching them in action - and knowing they're in grave danger if they cross the gangster - provides non-stop tension. This is peak Tom Cruise, aka Risky Business, Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Tom Cruise and boy. Mike and Worm have developed ways to trick and/or read their opponents. The sequel to The Hustler might not be quite as good, but it's definitely more fun. The movie also offers a compelling examination of the psychology of poker players. The excellent supporting cast includes Gretchen Mol, John Malkovich, John Turturro, and Martin Landau. But when those turn out to be failures, the only way Mike can help his buddy to is break the promise that he'd stay away from the tables.īoth actors give career-highlight performances in Rounders. Worm has debts to settle, so Mike helps him get involved in a few games.
He keeps that promise until old pal Worm gets out of jail. Damon's character, Mike, promises his girlfriend he'll give up poker after losing his $30,000 tuition money to a Russian gangster. Gamblers love it, but general audiences never quite gelled to the movie, which only made $22 million at the box office, despite starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Rounders is widely considered by gambling experts to be one of the most authentic films ever made on the topic.
