Most Highly Rated Poker Film Review

Written by Bob Rogers
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The Best Poker Films on TV

The number of poker movies available on TV, both good and bad, is not a surprise, but here we will emphasise the best poker movies on TV that ever existed. While players may be familiar with films like Rounders, there are other masterpieces that you may have missed over the years.

People often play poker in Las Vegas; Texas Holdem, 7 Card Stud, and even 5 Card Draw. You can find video clips providing information about various games online today. It is interesting to watch many of these videos about poker hands as they cover interesting situations and are a lot of fun for the fans.

All In: The Poker Movie

Watching All In: The Poker Movie will take you back to the days when poker was a big thing. It tells the story of poker, beginning with its inception to its infamous Black Friday and ending with Moneymaker's 2003 Main Event victory.

A number of well-known poker players appear in "All In", including Antonio Esfandiari, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Chris Ferguson, Phil Laak, and Moneymaker. It is an interesting account of how poker became one of the favourite hobbies in the US and worldwide and how many people pursued their American Dream through poker.

The film is equally enjoyable if you are a poker fan looking for a history lesson or a new player interested in learning more about the events that led to the phenomenon of poker we see today with professional players.

Especially noteworthy are Moneymaker's statements about his 2003 WSOP run and players' memories of the Black Friday. The movie will provide you with insight into the game that you didn't have before.

The Cincinnati Kid

One of the best titles in this group is The Cincinnati Kid, despite being one of the oldest poker movies ever made. There is a hint of Rounders from the past in this movie, which features Steve McQueen and Edward G. Robinson.

Played by McQueen, the story centres on a young man determined to prove he is the best poker player in the world; this culminates in his match with Lancey Howard (Robinson), who holds the unofficial title. Played with five cards - the first being dealt face down, and the other four face up - Five Card Stud is a popular card game.

The author writes beautifully about 1930s New Orleans in The Cincinnati Kid. For instance, poker was rarely played with table stakes, and the rules were whatever the players decided. Therefore, it is hard to say how accurate the game’s portrayal is. However, despite its flaws, this film is well worth watching because of everything in it, including the ending.

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                           Image- https://unsplash.com/s/photos/poker

High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story

Although many new players are not familiar with Stu "The Kid" Ungar, his name marked an era in poker history. His memoir, The Stu Ungar Story, tells how he grew up playing gin rummy, switched to Texas Hold'em, dominated the game for quite some time, and died tragically.

As the movie revolves around many cards being played, that part gets covered well, but if you want to know more about Stu and the obstacles that led to his premature retirement, watch The Stu Ungar Story.

Despite criticism that it glorifies degenerate behaviour, the memoir is merely a personal account of one individual. Although Ungar may have been a self-destructive person, we cannot underestimate the skill with which he played poker.

Rounders

The movie Rounders should be on the list of every poker fan and player alike because it represents the best of everything poker. The first poker movie to refer to Texas Hold'em made serious references to it in 1998. Starring Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich, and Gretchen Mol, Rounders was released just as Texas Hold'em took off internationally.

Mike is a talented player but lacks a good understanding of how bankrolls work, leaving him out of the underground high-stakes games he plays against Teddy KGB (Malkovich).

When Mike suffers a setback, he promises himself and Mol (his girlfriend) will give up poker forever. Having left jail and finding himself in dire straits, Worm (Norton) turns to Mike for help, and the two embark on an adrenaline-fueled adventure filled with action and poker games.

It's not often that movies like Rounders come along, so it is well worth watching. In addition, the film explores meaningful themes beyond poker, such as friendship, loyalty, and the importance of self-confidence.

It appears that writers didn't pay much attention to things like bet sizes in poker scenes. As often as not, this mistake is found in poker films, but I don't believe it takes anything away from the film - after all, it isn't a documentary or an introduction to how to play poker.

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                       Image - https://unsplash.com/s/photos/poker

Molly’s Game

Molly's Game has recently hit the big screen, an all-new true poker movie. Initially released in 2017, the film is based on the accurate account of the "Poker Queen" with some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities, businessmen, and professional players.

It is a Hollywood portrayal of Bloom's life, from her early days as a young Olympic-level skier to her downfall as an illegal poker dealer and organiser. The movie features Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, and Kevin Costner.

A few scenes and situations seem exaggerated in the movie, but the script is quite good overall. Even the purest won't have too many complaints due to the writers getting most of the poker stuff right.

It isn't difficult to believe it all, considering the profile of the individuals involved with these games, despite the seemingly excessive amounts of money and glitz.

Top Image https://unsplash.com/s/photos/poker

 

 

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Read 2092 times Last modified on Saturday, 05 March 2022 14:54
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Bob Rogers

Bob Rogers

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