Since the inception of movies, gambling movies have supplied spectators with wildly unexpected thrills and surges of adrenaline through many bluffs from movies on a scale that few others can ever hope to experience. The poker sub-genre, in particular, has increased the stakes by introducing a degree of controlled skill to a game of chance, enabling players to more or less manage their own competitive fate in a competitive setting; the delicate balance between talent and chance results in naturally dramatic narratives. Rounders, a 1998 film directed by John Dahl and starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, is generally regarded by many as the finest poker movie of all time. While there hasn’t been a picture that has surpassed Rounders’ popularity in the 22 years since its release, the film is still in some pretty good company. Here are the best five poker movies of all time, in no particular order.
Table of Contents
California Split
There are more games of chance than just poker in Robert Altman’s magnificent California Split. In the end, it is precisely the poker skill and captivating psychological drama shown in the film that elevates it to the top of the all-time list of the subgenre’s most significant works of fiction. Until he meets the carefree Charlie Waters (Elliot Gould), hapless gambler Bill Denny (George Segal) is ready to call it quits. When the pair regain their drive and resolve, they visit a number of casinos and racetracks, ultimately resulting in a high-stakes poker game in Reno, Nevada, where all the high rollers come to play.
Maverick
Maverick, directed by Richard Donner and based on the 1957 television program of the same name, is a humorous confidence film about a high-stakes “Winner Takes All” superstar poker game set in the American West. Mel Gibson plays Bret Maverick, a conman and accomplished grifter who joins forces with deceitful gambler Annabelle Bransford (Jodie Foster) to raise money to enter a potentially lucrative poker tournament. As Maverick and Bransford advance to the final four, they will engage in a battle of wits for a chance to win a $500,000 pot.
Molly’s Game
The most recent poker movie to make the cut is Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game, a brilliant true-crime drama set in the exquisite world of upmarket and illegal underground poker that premiered in theaters last year. Molly Bloom (played by Jessica Chastain) is a former Olympic-level skier who, after suffering a career-ending accident, decides to operate an illegal high-stakes Texas Hold’em ring in order to support her family. She managed the most limited and costly game in the world for decades, attracting a number of high-profile celebrities and intellectuals to play with her. When the Russian mafia compromises the game, Molly is raided by the FBI and faces serious criminal charges as a result.
The Cincinnati Kid
The Cincinnati Kid, directed by Norman Jewison, has some of the most enthralling poker scenes ever captured on film for a fiction picture. Eric Stoner, nicknamed The Cincinnati Kid, is played by Steve McQueen, and the film is set in 1930s New Orleans. Stoner is a young poker pro who is determined to rise through the ranks of the best players in the city. Stoner has his eyes set on Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson), the greatest and most accomplished player in the area at the time. With each step forward, Stoner comes closer to facing Lancey in an exciting heads-up game of five-card stud in which the winner gets everything.
Rounders
Rounders, directed by John Dahl, remains the gold standard for the finest poker movies of all time. In addition to having a fantastic cast, the degree of detail, knowledge, and accuracy of the poker play shown in the film is unmatched anywhere else. The film follows Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), who loses his life savings in a game of Texas Hold’em with Russian criminal Teddy KGB (John Malkovich). As a result of his defeat, Mike teams up with his old buddy and ex-con Worm (Edward Norton) to play exclusive poker games and tournaments all throughout the Eastern United States. During the process of reassembling his stack, Mike is determined to get revenge on Teddy KGB in a spectacular manner.
