The Grand

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The Grand

46% Liked It
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The Grand

Julie Claire, David Cross, Shannon Elizabeth, Mike Epps, Dennis Farina

An improvisational comedy using a handful of actors playing characters competing in an actual poker tournament.

Id: 10887724

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The Grand Recent Reviews
  • EarthlyAlien
    April 15, 2009
    EarthlyAlien
    A failure of steely intention, combined with a not quite satisfactory resolution of the fates of the characters, it keeps the film just shy of being a first-rate comedy. As middling mock-docs go, Penn isn't quite up to Christopher Guest's level, but the setting - the high-stakes ...( read more)poker subculture - is remarkably fertile and the actors are a treat. Herzog's mere presence makes this better than it should be.
  • sitenoise
    December 4, 2008
    sitenoise
    I laughed and laughed. This is a great vehicle for Woody Harrelson but I could also list and applaud the umpteen other actors (from Werner Herzog to Gabe Kaplan) in this ensemble comedy. It's fast paced and smartly written. The inside jokes are there for those who know the world ...( read more)of Professional Poker but you don't need to be an insider to laugh at most of them. This is the best comedy I've seen in a long time.
  • jamilyn0276
    November 9, 2008
    jamilyn0276
    This Mocumentary of sorts, was hilarious. The tag line is "It's a comedy about the fine art of losing." It makes fun of the world of professional poker, in a fake tournament, called The Grand.
    I am an avid Texas Hold Em fan, so I really enjoyed this film. I got the joke, you cou...( read more)ld say. Richard Kind and David Cross were comic genius.
    This film is loaded with famous faces. Ray Ramono, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer, Shannon Elizabeth, Dennis Farina, Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines, Mike Epps, and more. Hence, making it the perfect comic melting pot. It was also abundant with plenty of poker pros and real poker commentators, going along for the ride. My Beagle's name is Doyle, so I enjoyed seeing that Mr. Brunson was in on the gag.
    If you like independent comedies, and or you are a fan of the game, you will surely adore The Grand.
  • DrZeek
    September 26, 2008
    DrZeek
    Larry Schwartzman: I can psych the shit out of people. I don't need cards to beat you. I can literally have no cards, and I would still beat you. You think that's not playing fairly, or that's not the way a gentleman plays? I would fight you over that.

    A film similar to the moc...( read more)kumentaries like Best in Show made by Christopher Guest, writer/director Zak Penn takes the same structure and focuses it on the world of poker. The film is made up of a number of actors, all of whom improvise their lines after being given a basic setup for their scenes.

    One Eyed Jack Faro: Building his stack . . . !
    Lainie Schwartzman: Yeah, guess I just put that little brainiac fucker back in the game.
    Harold Melvin: You have the vocabulary of a drunken spice miner and the hairstyle of an Arrakeen whore.

    The film revolves around a poker tournament, The Grand, which has a jackpot of $10 Million. The main players are played by Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Cheryl Hines, Dennis Farina, Chris Parnell, and Richard Kind. What gives the film a bit more excitement is the fact that the final tournament was played for real. The script had no written ending and while staying in character, the actors all played real poker, hoping to win.

    The film also features a large supporting cast, consisting of actors who are all good at both poker and improv, as well as a number of famous poker players and poker related personalities. Among these people is acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog in a bizarre but hilarious role.

    The German: To feel alive and to get this energy, it is essential for me to kill something each day. It doesn't have to be a large animal. I squish an ant once in a while, or spiders, they come very easily. I've shot stray dogs. Goose.. is a very, very troublesome animal. I've had a goat. To strangle a goat, that makes you feel really alive.

    Among the main actors, Harrelson is made out to be the biggest lead, but I found Richard Kind to be my favorite. He is an actor who's face you'll recognize, but not his name. The scenes involving his character worked the best for me and he also had odd but great chemistry with Parnell.

    The film actually does a great job at getting you to care for most of the main characters, especially during the closing scenes explaining what has come of them. It also helps that they are very good at the dry humor that goes with the improv concept.

    There are a few missteps in the film. Some of the comedy is hit-or-miss and the tournament does eventually play out like watching one on TV, which doesn't help the film. There is also a particular scene, which completely breaks the realm of the film's mockumentary setting.

    There is however, a lot of good fun and entertainment to be had in this movie.

    Harold Melvin: It is apparent that you have no concept of pot odds. There are a number of books available in the gift shop that explain it quite thoroughly. Also, you have corn in your teeth.
  • DerekA101
    June 29, 2008
    DerekA101
    If you like poker then you will love this movie! The Grand is a spoof of the World Series of Poker Tournament. The witty dialogue is funny, and it has great cameos.
  • laney33
    November 21, 2009
    laney33
    Really boring. I turned it off.
  • dukeakasmudge
    October 18, 2009
    dukeakasmudge
    Hilarious Hilarious movie!!!
  • jimrin
    October 14, 2009
    jimrin
    I'm being a bit generous... I think the idea of a story of interesting characters in a poker tournament is good... but this one could have used more work to make the characters more interesting.
  • briley9
    October 12, 2009
    briley9
    The Grand follows a group of poker players at a ?World Series of Poker? type event as they make their way to the final table of a winner-takes-all $10million tournament. Told and shot in mockumentary style, it?s not bad ? in fact there are some moments that are very funny and go...( read more)od ? but it didn?t knock me out. I think the main problem with the film goes to the heart of the narrative. Ultimately, it?s a story about these wacky characters trying to win a poker tournament, so the core conflict often gets resolved in the ?flop.? And I couldn?t really give a rat?s ass about poker.

    That said, it?s entertaining at moments here and there, with solid, hilarious bits and some bits that just don?t work. One element that makes it work is its overwhelming recognizable cast: Woody Harrleson, David Cross, Dennis Farina (Get Shorty?s Dennis Farina), Cheryl Hines, Larry Kind (Ira from Mad About You), Chris Parnell (from 30 Rock), and Ray Romano. There are also many bit players I recognized: Werner Herzog, Jason Alexander, Michael McKean, Gabe Kaplan, Judy Greer, Hank Azaria, and Barry Corbin. And most of these people have at least a couple funny moments.

    It?s worth a watch if you don?t go out of your way to do it, or if you like poker more than I do.
  • darkendmirage
    October 11, 2009
    darkendmirage
    thought it was a cozy, fun little movie. well worth watching.
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