"Poolhall Junkies" is the cinematic equivalent of a train wreck. As much as you'd like to turn away from this complete and total misfire, you can't take your eyes off it.
You also can't help but feel embarrassed for everyone involved in this billiards-based dramatic thriller, especially the cast. It makes you wonder if some blackmail material was used to get people as talented as Chazz Palminteri, Christopher Walken and the late Rod Steiger (all former Oscar nominees or winners) to appear in it.
(Because the film was almost completely shot in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas, it's an embarrassment for Utah as well.)
Perhaps the film's only saving grace is that it's overwhelmingly hilarious in its ineptitude. While you'd like to think that's what they were aiming for, it's clear that wasn't the case.
The title could refer to several characters in the film, but more specifically to Johnny (director/co-writer/star Mars Callahan), a pool shark who's trying to go straight at the behest of his girlfriend, Tara (Alison Eastwood ? Clint's daughter).
But it's not easy. His younger brother, Danny (Michael Rosenbaum), keeps trying to drag him back in. And when Danny runs afoul of Joe, a showdown becomes inevitable. Fortunately, Johnny has at least one unexpected ally: Tara's uncle (Walken), who's got his own reasons for helping him.
The film's four-letter-word-peppered, tough-guy dialogue pegs it for what it is: another Quentin Tarantino wanna-be, albeit one that's nearly 10 years too late. (Comparing it favorably to the classic "The Hustler" or Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money" is giving it credit it doesn't deserve.)
And as awful as Callahan's sneered delivery is, his performance is not the film's worst. Eastwood, who possesses almost none of her famous father's on-screen magnetism, takes the prize for that.
As for the supporting cast, Walken seems to be the only one who realizes how ridiculously bad this material is. So he gives a knowingly campy performance that belongs in a much better film than this one.
"Poolhall Junkies" is rated R for excessive use of strong, sexually related profanity, crude sexual slang and racial epithets, violence (beatings and some gunplay) and brief sexual contact.
Mike: What do you call a thousand lawyers buried up to their necks in sand? Johnny Doyle: What? Mike: Not enough sand.
A very fun movie about hustlers in the poolhall. There isn't much too it, a lot like the movie Rounders, but this doesn't take itself as serious.
It's fun, has a lot of cool pool shots that aren't fakes or done with camera tricks. It moves along quickly enough and there's also the help of Chris Walken stepping in and giving off some great lines.
The story revolves around a young guy, Mike played by writer and director Mars Callahan, who has a natural gift at pool, but has been raised by a mentor, played by Chazz Palmenteri to hustle others.
Mike attempts to break off his connections with the hustler life, but cannot help to continue playing pool. Through this he manages to meet his girlfriends uncle, played by Chris Walken who takes a liken to him.
The movie eventually boils down to a showdown where Mike has to prove himself as a master pool player.
Johnny Doyle: Bet twenty thousand! [the poolhall falls silent] Johnny Doyle: Oh, did I stutter? Everybody gone all quiet and shit? About a minute ago it was like an evening at the Apollo up in this motherfucker, now all of a sudden it's quiet as a church. That's all right, Chico, I don't blame you. I've been beatin' this Jimmy Walker lookin' motherfucker all goddamn night, he can't win. Chico: You'd better watch your mouth, Johnny! Johnny Doyle: You watch my mouth, Chico. 'Cause you sure as hell don't wanna watch me play pool. Unless, of course, I'm blind folded and hand cuffed with a pool cue stickin' out of my ass. Or maybe you'd bet the twenty thousand then?
While the plot is pretty familiar, as I have mentioned, the movie is about having a good time watching it. Walken, in particular, seems to have fun with delivering the plot related lines with a slight smirk.
The film also boasts a good soundtrack and enough style to make it standout a bit. Fun flick.
Joe: How the fuck does that make you feel... to be in that position with all your money on the table? Mike: How much you got, Joe? Joe: What? Mike: Total. You put down 80 thousand like it didn't matter. That's a lot of money for somebody like you and him. I think it matters. Joe: What's the difference... Mike: I'm a millionaire! That's the difference. I lose 80 I get another 80. For me it doesn't matter. See, I think it's you... who's sweating this, the both of you.
Kickass movie to watch for pool addicts. That too, I've been hustled myself and hustled many times over, so this was quite a trip. Some parts were unnecessary but the movie was balanced on the whole. This would've got a full 5 if the game in question would've been snooker instead of pool though.
Has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. My Dad introduced it to me and since I don't have a copy of my own, I watch it every time I go to his house. It's a really great film
This movie reminded me of Rounders only about pool. The actors all did a great job, Walken is the obvious stand out. The movie is about hustlers so there are some ingenious ticks being played on people that just make you laugh. Great movie check it out.
Okay so I loved this film, even though it was somewhat readable. I loved the hustling, I love the cursing, I loved its pretentiousness and frankly anything with Christopher Walkens I'll watch.
*Maybe not the best movie in the world, maybe not the best acted movie, but I love the characters, love the story, and I can watch this movie over and over. Simply a personal favorite.
Great movie, to then be followed by the Hustler... Ok, well The Hustler is the classic and pinnacle of the genre, but if you watch one you gotta watch the other.
Ok, it is a 'B' movie for sure, considered 'Indie' by some and just plain bad by others. But it had a great rhythm and vibe to it. I personally thought it was allot of fun.
A film that recaptures the "cool" of the game of pool. Mars Callahan spits out his own dialogue (he wrote the film, too) with a suave attitude that channels the spirit of Christopher Walken. Oh, yeah, and Walken is also in this film, which works the most out of its somewhat cliche scenes by relying on actors who eternally squint and snarl their lines and also by capturing some darn good pool-playing.
When I first watched this movie it surprised me at how good it was. It's a very low budget film but still it was so good. Then I re-watched it a few nights ago and I was still surprised at how good it was. This is one of those movies that will get better and better the more you watch it.
This movie was written and directed by the main star in the film Mars Callahan. So you would kind of expect it to be cheap but it really wasn't. It was very well made actually. This is one of the better hustler movies I have seen. If you like pool or you like hustler films you will like this. But even if you don't I think you would still like it.
The acting really wasn't all that bad considering there were only a couple big name actors in it. Mars Callahan did a very good job considering the fact that he is virtually unknown. The part that surprised me was that they got Christopher Walken and Chazz Palminteri to be in such a low budget film. One of my favorite things about the movie was Michael Rosenbaum. He plays Lex Luthor in the T.V. show Smallville. He looks so odd with hair. It's hard to watch him in these movies with hair after seeing him as Lex and him being bald.
All in all, this is a very good movie that I think a lot of people would like if they would give it a chance. It's low budget but very good despite that fact.
"Oh, did I stutter? Everybody gone all quiet and shit? About a minute ago it was like an evening at the Apollo up in this motherfucker, now all of a sudden it's quiet as a church."
One of the sweetest movies I've seen in a while. The reason why I'm not giving this 5 stars is because of some pretty bad acting and script problems. Nevertheless, It's worth a lot more than the $5 I got it for. It's a funny, original, low budget, HBO movie that would interest almost anyone, unless your someone or some people who can't stand hearing the F-word repeatedly (hint hint, friends of mine). It most definitely makes you want to play Pool after your finished watching it.
Sorry everyone, but I take this over Color of Money and the Hustler. Damn straight because the action is more real then Vincent twirling that stick around like a moron. We all know Johnny. He is that cool guy in the room. Not like the pool players, something more...we can relate to that guy. And Chris Walken takes the cake!
Witty, intelligent, funny and dramatic. Who new so much went down in a pool hall? I have to say for a movie that was almost never made I'm very glad it was. Let's all thank Christopher Walken for getting on board and making things happen.
MCT:August 13, 2008
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