DEAL: DVD

SYNOPSIS:
Uni student Alex (Bret Harrison) dreams of becoming a pro Texas Hold'em poker player and a chance encounter with retired poker legend, Tommy (Burt Reynolds) gives him the opportunity. Tommy sees he can regain his self confidence and pride by turning Alex into his protégé. But their growing success is thwarted by a Las Vegas call girl (Shannon Elizabeth) and eventually they part ways, each separately preparing for the World Poker Tour, where only one of them can become the champ.

Review by Andrew L. Urban:
Burt Reynolds is always watchable, even after plastic surgery. Poker is always a macho sort of game (even for women players) in which poker face is a paramount virtue. So poker movies are a genre apart, and Deal is as good as any. Better than some.

Not an original storyline in sight (retired champ mentors youngster to gain reflected glory and face down demons) but entertaining all the same. And a really likeable cast makes it work better than it deserves to.

Like old cowboys facing off, poker players need plenty of cool, and give filmmakers opportunities for a series of close ups of eyes looking ... er, unexpressive. But that's the fun, picking which dead-eyed dick is actually winning or losing the million dollar hand.

There is a chance that non-players will find even the relationship stories too little to compensate for the poker games, but I think Jennifer Tilley (in a small role) and the rest of cast are worth screen time. But than poker is not just a game of cards; it's not the cards you play but the people, as Tommy explains to Alex, which is why poker movies are far more interesting than many sports movies.

It's about character and personality, humanity at its most exposed, while trying to cover up. So look beyond the hand ...

Published April 30, 2009