High Roller Movie Terrible

[gaming_mouse]

What a disappointment. The Stu Ungar movie that aired on Starz tonight was god awful. A true accomplishment given the fabulous material to work with. I guess that's why they couldn't find a distributor....

[housenuts]

anyone else have the same feelings about this? i'm really hyped to see it.

[gaming_mouse]

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anyone else have the same feelings about this? i'm really hyped to see it.

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So was I. The clips chosen on the website are really misleading too. They looked so good, but lose most of their luster in context. The film also:

1. Has a terrible score.
2. Bad camerawork, strange and amateur directorial choices.
3. Rips of goodfellas and casino shamelessly.
4. Has terrible acting, with the exception of the guy who plays Vincent.

Michael Imperioli, who I normally love, totally phones his performance in. He basically plays the character wholesale as Christopher from the Sopranos. There is hardly any difference. From what I've read and seen of Stu Ungar, this was just not the case.

gm

[thirddan]

there is a thread about this movie in the book/software forum now...

[Dynasty]

I thought Stuey a.k.a. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338467/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj 0wfHE9aGlnaCByb2xsZXJ8aHRtbD0xfG5tPW9u;fc=2;ft=21; fm=1) was a decent film. But, it never exited me the way a good poker movie should be able to.

For those who watch the Sopranos, it will be difficult to see Michael Imperioli as Stu Ungar and not think of his Soprano's chracter Christopher Moltisanti. It really feels like it's Christopher as the 3-time WSOP champion and that always gets in the way.

On the positive side, I like the first quarter of the film where Stuey is almost exclusively playing gin instead of poker and gambling away all his winning on sports and at the track. The one thing the film does well is showing how Stuey constantly pisses away whatever he wins.

The ending was awkward and seemed to come rather suddenly. In the last scene, Stuey leaves his motel room with a mobster. But, then we're told the cause of his death is drug related heart failure

It's worth seeing.

P.S. Pokerbabe can be seen in this film immediately after Stuey hits his straight to win his third WSOP. She's among the crowd jumping out their seats with their arms raised in celebration.

[TimM]

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The ending was awkward and seemed to come rather suddenly. In the last scene, Stuey leaves his motel room with a mobster. But, then we're told the cause of his death is drug related heart failure

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A mobster? I thought this was a stylized Grim Reaper scene. "Stuey" even offers to play a few hands for, well, "you know".

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
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The ending was awkward and seemed to come rather suddenly. In the last scene, Stuey leaves his motel room with a mobster. But, then we're told the cause of his death is drug related heart failure

[/ QUOTE ]

A mobster? I thought this was a stylized Grim Reaper scene. "Stuey" even offers to play a few hands for, well, "you know".

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It may have been. I obviously didn't catch on while watching it.

[Toro]

Just got around to seeing the movie this weekend. Michael Imperioli was a bad choice as others have stated. I was disappointed with the movie as the subject matter had a lot of potential.

There was one scene that looked hokey but I think it was derived from a true story. It was the scene where they were playing no limit and DJ had 27o vs the fishes KK and he bluffed him out on the turn when he offered to show one card for a black chip.

The board was 7332 and the guy bit and DJ turned over the deuce and the fish deduced that DJ had 2's full and mucked his KK. I'm pretty sure I read about this play being made by a real life player in some book, possibly "Positively 5th Street".

Anyone know??

[wonderwes]

I had a mixed reaction to the film. 2/3 into the movie I realize he was talking with death. It was an interesting concept. It seemed like Stu Unger just had a rough life regardless. Childhood, teenage years, and then when he moved out to Vegas. I was kinda glad how the film showed that. I also like how they showed he won the 2nd WSOP without ever cutting to any scene of it.

Also, where was all that blow use? I saw it for like 2 min.

[thirddan]

its a jack strauss story, it was told in biggest game in town...

[chucksim]

I thought it was OK. Not the best way they could have told the story, but it was entertaining anyway. I did enjoy the whole concept of who he was with in the hotel room the entire time.

The Gin Rummy scene with Pat Morita was pretty good too. Really showed how Stuey appeared to live his whole life....

[Slacker13]

I liked it.