the one with james caan. i don't get the ending. he got cut on the face...what does that mean?
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from the imdb forums:
Axel comes from a very well-to-do family. His grandfather is very wealthy. His mother is a doctor. Everything has come easy to him -- hot girlfriend, expensive sports car. He has never had to really struggle for anything. However, if he blows all his money gambling, and has to deal with vicious loan sharks, he is truly testing (and defining) himself, without any assistance from his familly. It is like when the son of a King wants to join the Crusades, to prove himself or die trying.
Axel craves disaster, because everytime he gets into deep trouble, someone bails him out -- when he racks up 40K in gambling debts, his mom loans him the money (which he then wagers on a basketball game). Paul Sorvino's character keeps giving Axel second and third chances, mainly because Axel's grandfather is so well-connected. Finally, Axel can no longer depend on his family or Sorvino's kindness -- but there is one last escape hatch. If Axel can convince one of his students to shave points in a basketball game, all will be forgiven. Axel convinces the player to do this, and Axel's gambling debt is erased. You'd think Axel would have learned his lesson. But no. He decides to walk down a dangerous street in Harlem, hook up with a prostitute, then insult a knife-wielding pimp. Why does he do this? This is unrelated to gambling. What Axel really wants to do is lose, and lose big. Like all addicts who loathe themselves, Axel wants to hit bottom, and the only way he knows how is to deliberately put himself into a terrible situation. And he does. That's why he's smiling as he looks at himself in the mirror -- he's achieved his unconscious desire to destroy himself.
I have a theory that Axel is an aspiring novelist who wants to explore the gambling life to the utmost. He seems to be taking in the details of this sordid life -- like when he accompanies Carmine on a collection run, and he takes Carmine's pulse after Carmine has beat the crap out of a guy who owes money. Axel creates drama in his life simply so he can write about it.Comment -
it means he sucked haha just kiddin... i loved rounders... even though i'm not a huge poker player it was pretty good.... although i just finished 3rd in a tourney on pokerstars with 750 people.. won myself almost 2 g's to bet on sports with... (which is way more fun than playing poker with) heheheComment -
In my opinion, it goes to show that nor matter how any times he can get himself out of trouble, he is the type of person that always needs to be "on the edge" in life.Comment -
i think this is THE BEST GAMBLING MOVIE ever made.
nothing in that movie is too hollywood.Comment -
It could be.Originally posted by pico
This & Casino since Casino was based on a true story from the bookie's end, meanwhile this is from the perspective of a compulsive gambler.
Both 5 stars, 2 thumbs up.Comment -
there is a scene in the movie where he doubled down on 18 and got 21. i remember i bet 1k and got 5 (2-3), the dealer has a 4 showing, so i doubled down for 2k total and the dealer bust. table limit was 1k.Comment -
Originally posted by pico
Asians gamble like nobody's business, is every asian given a 1 mil gambling line at birth? In Tunica that's all there is in the high limit rooms is asians, I want to be asian I'm broke and I want a gf who acts like I'm poppin her cherry everytime we have sex, asian porn is the bestComment -
Why would a movie about compulsive gambling be a good movie about gambling? It's not even subtle in that movie, which was a strength of Owning Mahowny.
Rounders is more interesting, because it offsets the right approach to gambling against the losing approach.Comment -
what about "grifters" i loved that oneComment