HARD EIGHT |
| CREDITS: Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Cast: Philip Baker Hall, Gwenyth Paltrow, John
Reily & Samuel L. Jackson USA 1996 (18) INTRODUCTION: Ever wonder what Anderson did before the phenomena that was Boogie Nights? No me neither but here it is anyway. A 90's American Indie ie. Tarantino cash-in, set as one would expect amidst the casinos of LA and Nevada with, and here's the big twist, SLJ thrown in as a Gangsta character. SYNOPSIS: Professional gambler John (Reily) encounters down on his luck Sydney (Baker Hall) and proceeds to teach him everything he needs to know to get by in the sleazy world in which he finds himself embroiled. But one of them has a dark secret that threatens to tear apart the friendship (shock!). REVIEW: It plays like an episode of dodgy 80's anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Two dimensional characters in a two dimensional world, with lots of meaningless plot twists thrown in, in a desperate attempt to add the dimensions it lacks else where. OK, so it's not quite as bad as it could have been; the two leads excel in their parts, Baker Hall na‹ve and gullible Reily oozing laconic charm. Paltrow puts in a strong performance and SLJ plays his standard role with his normal skill. It is solely due to the performances of these fine actors that this film manages to rise above the morass of other 90's indie flicks, in which it might otherwise have drowned without a trace. Watch it for the great performances. Mutt's Rating: *** |