Rounders 2 will be slightly worse but I’m still there on opening day. So, enjoy Rounders because you won’t be getting a better poker film anytime soon. It’s all very fascinating but it’s tough to make it into a compelling film that competes with a big fuck-off car chase. That’s the main reason poker has struggled to produce a mainstream TV show – you have to be “into” poker to understand what the players are feeling emotionally on the inside. The big decisions, the sweats, the inner torment and control of your emotions – all of it is extremely hard to dramatise or show convincingly on screen. I’m not sure you could make a better poker movie because the drama of poker is all internal. “Yes, yes I want to take my $30k from its secret hiding places and sneak out on Gretchen Mol, probably after doing her – actually, definitely after that – and have some real fun putting it on the line playing high stakes. Heck, the first two minutes are porn for anyone who’s remotely interested in the game. It’s become a source of fun among poker geeks these days to criticise the film’s poker scenes, which is a little like having a supermodel arrive at your door and then criticising her choice of underwear. I mean, I’ve watched it before but only about 23 times so it was due a revisit.
