The Color of Money Reviews and Ratings


  • frankjr19
    July 12, 2008
    frankjr19
    Ce n'est certes pas réellement un Scorsese auquel on est habitués, mais on reconnaît tout de même quelques lignes directrices qui collent bien au style du réalisateur. Cruise et Newman s'échangent la balle dans ce thriller sportif qui s'avère franchement divertissant et même rafr...( read more)aichissant puisqu'il s'empêche à maintes reprises de tomber dans de gros clichés communs. Rapidement, on prend goût au concept, et on est entraîné dans cette course folle vers l'argent, là où honneur et mérite exigent tout de même leur place.
  • zOMBie3184
    July 9, 2008
    zOMBie3184
    The Hustler was better
  • jonnycrumley
    July 4, 2008
    jonnycrumley
    This is one of my favourite Scorsese movies. I love how it's directed through the scummy streets of America and that the actors all have a good chemistry and actually play themselves. Although I've seen the Hustler which was a good insight, I thought it was a bit dull.
  • goblue
    June 21, 2008
    goblue
    The second best movie about pool hustling.
  • josh808
    June 10, 2008
    josh808
    the best newman movie!
  • hypathio7
    June 6, 2008
    hypathio7
    Fast Eddie returns, at first very much like his old mentor Bert Gordon, he mainly counts on his talent for hustling psychologically now. Vince is the new cocky youngster with so much talent it manifests itself in Jedi/Samurai/Kung Fu moves with a pool cue. He is innocent with n...( read more)o knowledge of or motivation to hustle though. Vince's girlfriend Carmen is concerned with money and the hustle and so basically sells Vince's soul to Eddie without his knowledge. Vince's childlike naivete is a BIG difference from what Eddie was like when he was young, so Vince's heart is never really in the hustle until Eddie walks out on the young couple. Eddie is incredibly ashamed when he gets hustled by a young Forest Whitaker and gives up on being a mentor. Eddie rediscovers his love for playing pool, corrects his sight with glasses, re-trains himself from the bottom up, and enters the same national pool competition that he sent young Vince and Carmen to. Eddie becomes sad, but more determined, when he finds out Vince has lost his innocence. After all, Eddie has rediscovered Character and hopefully can knock some of that cockiness out of the young guy, even if it takes 100 games.
  • moviefan68
    May 29, 2008
    moviefan68
    cool movie love paul newman
  • zumsted07
    May 26, 2008
    zumsted07
    The three stars of this movie? That would be Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, and Tom Cruise's unibrow. Forest Whitaker is in it for a bit part. Overall, just an average Scorcese movie which equals a very good movie.
  • azdw
    May 12, 2008
    azdw
    Review will be written when/if re-watched (Probability: Zero).

    First viewing: 30.03.1997
  • kaylaishxc
    April 1, 2008
    kaylaishxc
    Another classic from the brilliant mind of Mr. Martin Scorsese. About two men who hustle money in pool games. A sequel of sorts to The Hustler, but this time Tom Cruise is Paul Newman's prodigy.
  • leestro
    March 29, 2008
    leestro
    Scorcese's best film for me, great performance by Newman - with the script - made Cruise look good too. but good follow up to the hustler. enjoyable
  • thomasscott2
    March 16, 2008
    thomasscott2
    Well after the Hustler movie was made, it's not quite what I expected, but in a good way. one of the greatest acting match-ups ever.
  • paintballmasters66
    March 12, 2008
    paintballmasters66
    one of the ultimate pool movies
  • sspidermann
    March 11, 2008
    sspidermann
    not as good as the hustler!
  • cacutshaw
    March 4, 2008
    cacutshaw
    Scorsese's comeback film, this sequel to The Hustler is dramatically and visually exciting. I've heard tell (and suspect myself) that Newman won the Oscar for this as a belated Oscar for the Verdict, and that's hung over this flm's head unjustly. This is must see cinema.
  • kballs
    February 27, 2008
    kballs
    My dad likes this movie
  • Terminatator
    February 19, 2008
    Terminatator
    Amazing Newman and Cruise...
  • paulparsons2
    February 10, 2008
    paulparsons2
    The more I watch this film, the more I love it....

    Quite why this is considered to be one of Scorsese's lesser works is beyond me. The direction is first rate, the film looks fantastic and the musuc is great. The fact that a Phil Collins track is used without inducing the need...( read more) to vomit shows a genius at work....

    Then you have the casting... Newman is great. His Fast Eddie is a complex dude and the fact that Newman doesn't try to make him particuarly likeable as he uses everyone around him, it's very clever work. Then we have the Cruise... He plays Vincent just right, naive to the world around him and I really liked the dynamic between him and Newman. For me though, the real surprise in this is Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio.... She puts in great work here and they way that she conveys her characters manipulative nature is impressive.

    Further proof of Marty's greatness that in this case sems to have been sadly missed...
  • shameyo
    February 5, 2008
    shameyo
    Make me want to be a hustler.
  • paullewis2004
    January 19, 2008
    paullewis2004
    Very good story, with great direction.
  • viennawaits1
    January 5, 2008
    viennawaits1
    Good, but nowhere NEAR as good as the original
  • scottydgibbs
    January 2, 2008
    scottydgibbs
    its amazing what a director can do when forced into a corner, scorsese, burned out after raging bull and king of comedy, being a flop, and last temptation of christ being cancelled, he went working commercially, and this was one of chices he made, cruise a up and coming star and ...( read more)newman major box office at time, and going back too role tat made him famous from hustler, great direction, check out pool scenes, superb, and cruise is as ever, smiley, but thats his charactor, and newman exellent playing role he played over 20 years before,
  • bizzyjb
    January 1, 2008
    bizzyjb
    Not a bad movie...for an 80s movie :P
  • ass9days
    December 31, 2007
    ass9days
    i lov the bourbon discussion..!!
  • highgamer6969
    December 20, 2007
    highgamer6969
    It's In The Way That You Use It...It Comes And It Goes, And If You Ever Abuse It, You'll Just Let It Go.....
  • spongeofmystery
    December 1, 2007
    spongeofmystery
    MY FAVE FILM INVOLVING POOL OR ANY GAME LIKE THAT FOR A FACT! AMAZING AND ABSOLUTELY GREAT I LOVE THIS FILM. TOM....VERY NICE IN '83, LOVE THE HAIR
  • smoothie177
    November 27, 2007
    smoothie177
    Excellent movie, Paul Newman is great in this movie as he was in The Hustler, and if you enjoyed the hustler then you will enjoy this movie if you enjoyed Poolhall Junkies you will enjoy this movie if you enjoy the game of pool at all you will enjoy this movie.
  • e5885
    November 13, 2007
    e5885
    Even a minor Scorsese film is a wonderfull fun to watch. Paul Newman is great.
  • Argonirik
    November 12, 2007
    Argonirik
    This movie is brillant! Newman is genius. The soundtrack is so good, especially the song "It's in the way that you use-it", from Eric Clapton. The beginning of the movie is the best beginning of all the Scorceses movies, and a favourit to the best of all times! This movie is the ...( read more)first Scorcese movie i saw, and in my top 99 it reach's the 5 place!!
  • manly500usa
    November 1, 2007
    manly500usa
    A good movie, see it.
  • FangsFirst
    October 28, 2007
    FangsFirst
    I think what this film really needs is new coverart. Badly. I ignored it for ages because the cover art is so terrible. Skillfully painted? Sure. But the assembly, the placement, it's terrible.

    It was ages before I realized I was ignoring a Martin Scorsese movie, and considering...( read more) he's pretty much my favourite director, I think that's saying something, especially when the star of the film is Paul Newman. I put the movie in, thinking I'd be disappointed despite the folk involved, but it opened on Marty himself doing a voiceover explaining 9-Ball. I actually missed the whole thing I was so excited to be hearing Marty's voice. Then we're treated to some nice titles (which are sort of haphazard in a way that reminds me of The Warriors) over music that bears the sound of the 80s (gated drums, a backing synth and a strong solo sax) and I could swear that's Robbie Robertson's non-verbal singing (apparently many agree with me, despite the fact that no one has a real name for the "song"). From there I'm adding up the things this movie has going for it--Robbie Robertson, Marty, it's from the 80s (well, this is a good thing for me, at least) and now, now we're in a smoke-filled, darkened poolhall? This is an environment that I have a completely unreasonable and illogical attraction to and love for. Part of my brain swears that I'd live in a poolhall from the 80s if I could. I'd never fit into such an environment, and the few times I've played pool I've not been any good. But there is something endlessly attractive about that environment to me.

    Then I saw the film start moving--oh my, it's that wonderfully rich, dark colour of 80s filmstock. I love it; it feels half-real and half-fantastic, like we're seeing the grit of the real world but through a safe lens that enhances the colour and the darkness of it simultaneously. From there more things just started piling on--I already knew, but of course there's Warren Zevon's immortal classic, "Werewolves of London" during one pool match, Eric Clapton's "It's in the Way That You Use It" (which I had not realized was co-written, lyrically at least, by Robbie Robertson), some great blues (Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon)--heck, even a solo Don Henley song, and that's my kind of thing as someone who loves the 80s feel so very much. I also knew that Robert Palmer was on this soundtrack, doing songs not available on his albums, at that. Now, of course I know that Marty knows how to use music, everyone knows that who has seen "Layla" used in Goodfellas. But to see someone actually use the above artists and not just be throwing them in for novelty or because the song was a hit at the time? Marty is now even more my hero for this.

    Paul Newman is once again "Fast" Eddie Felson, last seen 25 years earlier in 1961's The Hustler. Now he's out of the pool business, selling whiskey and simply watching games in the poolhall we open on. He sees a new kid, Vincent Lauria (a young Tom Cruise), cleaning house in this poolhall and begins to take interest. There are fantastic shots here and about halfway through the movie of Eddie just watching Vinnie play, saying nothing, but we can see the gears turning in Newman's head anyway. It's amazing to think that he can just sit there and be that interesting. Cruise is excessively energetic (it reminded me of Kevin Costner's strangely kinetic performance in Silverado, seeming crazily out of place for the actors as I know them) but filled with the right kind of energy, excitement and pride for a cocky young kid who thinks he's good at pool--and is right. Eddie decides to take Vincent under his wing and teach him how to hustle, but Vincent is too interested in his own skill to really listen and act on Eddie's words, as making money means knowing when to lose, and Vincent isn't good at that. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (whose name rang some kind of bell, mostly because of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, to continue an unexpected Kevin Costner theme) is Vincent's girlfriend, using him to make money, taking advantage of his less-than-stellar brainpower and manipulating him and Eddie as the movie progresses.

    There was on problem--it felt like a step was missing in many of the games. Like we skipped over the end to the aftermath in many cases, and like it wasn't clear whether they were clapping for someone because they lost or as conciliation for losing. It was a bit disappointing to see that element so palpably absent, and perhaps explains--at least for me, though probably not for the actual ones--the lack of attention and respect the film has gotten over the years (though, again, I think the coverart is now playing a big part in that...). Sometimes I wasn't sure whether they were correctly hustling someone or whose money was going where and the like. Sometimes I'm just overthinking these things, but this time I just couldn't place the right money in the right hands and it just didn't seem right in general. But that's honestly a minor quibble, with a soundtrack like this, with performances like these (Newman deserved this Oscar, the arc of Eddie is absolutely fascinating, from observant teacher to frustrated old hand to renewed pride) and with a story like this. As has been said of other sports movies, it isn't the point. the point here is Eddie, as simple as that.

    Scorsese showed his hand, I think, through the many sweeping turns around characters to face a table, or to face a character. I felt his presence then, and in a later scene that pulled back across a whole row of pooltables rapidly as Eddie has returned to practice at his former art. Certainly, as mentioned, he was present in the use of music, but here is where I really felt him. I actually saw him twice and missed both times. I read that he had a cameo doing a break partway through and had to rewind after the movie finished to find it. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo though.

    I've had to take minor notes to try and remember all the fun bits I want to mention here, so I'm just going to haphazardly hop through the rest as this is already shaping up as one of my longer reviews.

    One of the first recurring characters in the film is Julian, and he's played by a slightly-bearded John Turturro, here a sort of sane, reasonable, acceptable, realistic type version of The Big Lebowski's "The Jesus," arrogant and self-centered for his skill, but still kind of a goofball that we quietly chuckle at as he shows himself to be just such a person. A random hustled loser in a bar turns out to be none other than the mighty Iggy Pop, wearing an Attack of the 50 ft Woman shirt. Later, Eddie himself decides to go playing for a bit, and I hear another familiar voice (ie, after Robertson's wailing at the beginning and Marty's rapidfire patter explaining the game). We turn and look up from the table and who do we find? Forest Whitaker! He is a hustler, and a good one, and he's a joy to watch as always, short though his role is. This sort of brings me to a topic that I wanted to address for a while--the idea of the "cult actors" I love so much. Forest is not the best example because of how damn good he is, but, let's say someone like Willem DaFoe. The correlation here is Warren Zevon; a song from him on a soundtrack is something for me to raise "the horns" for, because while there are "better" songwriters like Dylan, and possibly--possibly--better songs, it's the fact that Warren gets no acknowledgment and DID have tons of talent. "It's in the Way That You Use It" is a great song, but "Werewolves of London" (honestly a lesser song for Zevon) is the more exciting one to here. I like Johnny Depp, but I'm not going to go, "Oooh! A Johnny Depp movie!" I will, however, set out to pursue Sam Neill movies, or Willem DaFoe movies, or Donald Sutherland ones--JUST because they're in them. I could find a pile of Johnny Depp movies, but there's an exciting flavour to the aforementioned actors to me, and it's the same kind of thing seeing someone like Whitaker, too. It's something they have that someone like even Newman doesn't. It's just an excitement for me.

    It should be noted that I've yet to see The Hustler (it IS on my list to acquire though), but this is indeed based on a novel by the same author as the original was--Walter Tevis. I saw this name onscreen and could not help but think, "Where the hell have I seen this name?" I thought and thought and thought and thought, and it suddenly hit me. He's the author of The Man Who Fell to Earth. I have no idea how one goes between these two books, but I guess I'm pretty impressed with Tevis since he could do it.

    Whew, this is indeed my longest review, but it brought together so many elements I love under a director I love that I guess I just had to get it all out this time--I often omit details, but here I wanted to get them all in on a movie that has slipped under so many people's noses. Give it a go, it's a good trip and Eddie is worth it.
  • brad769
    October 27, 2007
    brad769
    I rmember this beign really good :)
  • MRFI
    October 19, 2007
    MRFI
    Tom Cruise started to show his arrogance in this film so it lost me there he was a cool actor but not these days. He does movies for himself not the audience.
  • gabrielwilding1
    October 15, 2007
    gabrielwilding1
    The original is much better
  • joyndick
    October 9, 2007
    joyndick
    I enjoyed this movie. But then I'd enjoy Paul Newman if he just stood there and did nothing.
  • halffling
    October 3, 2007
    halffling
    newman directed by scorsese!!! yum yum
  • tjo7
    September 30, 2007
    tjo7
    They stopped making films like this around 1976, and I was thrilled to see Paul Newman in a starring role. Tom Cruise was believeable in his role, for a change, and the supporting cast was terrific. The atmosphere was just perfect.
  • doughboyog
    September 30, 2007
    doughboyog
    Some very well developed and well acted characters -coupled with the directorial flair of Scorcese- makes this an enjoyable film.

    A weak storyline serves to wane the watchers interest as the film progresses however.
  • rika1
    September 29, 2007
    rika1
    mmm.. never really liked billiardo and such stuff!!!
    but I totally lovew the cast =D
  • savatom
    September 18, 2007
    savatom
    Good flick. Invite your buddies over for a few beers and talk smack. Scorsese captures the gritty semi-sleasy world of pool halls, hustling and cash money. Acting is top notch. I still need to see the original with Jackie Gleason.

Summary

The Color of Money Summary