The Grand

The Grand (2007)

  • 38% of critics liked it
    (42 reviews)

  • 44% of users liked it
    (2,862 ratings)

Incident at Loch Ness director Zak Penn takes the helm for this mockumentary that finds film and television star Woody Harrelson entering the Grand Championship of Poker in hopes of saving his late grandfather's popular hotel casino from a scheming real estate developer. As the wrecking ball swings… More

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R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By
Zak Penn
Written By
Zak Penn, Matt Bierman
Genres
Comedy
In Theaters
Jan 11, 2008 Wide
On DVD
Jun 10, 2008
Anchor Bay Entertainment

Critic Reviews

  • John Anderson, Washington Post

    Just showing us what ex-sitcom stars and Bavarian directors do in their spare time isn't quite enough to justify The Grand, which does for poker what Best in Show did for dogs while completely avoiding any jokes about poker-playing canines.

  • Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

    You eventually get the feeling that the actors are riffing mainly for each other. Their attitude is, 'We're talented, trust us, we know how to be funny,' but in the end, it's mostly just a bluff.

  • Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

    The film is not much more than a gusher of oddball character sketches and ricocheting gags, but its manic pace and over-the-top inventiveness make The Grand a solid bet.

  • Maureen M. Hart, Chicago Tribune

    It's hard to believe that a lineup so stellar could generate so few laughs, but there it is.

  • Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

    It's obvious that The Grand's director, Zak Penn, set out to make the Best in Show of high-stakes poker, but to raise the ante, he piles up the absurdities and zany backstories.

Read all 21 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Aaron N


    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… More

  • Derek A


    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.

  • Walter M


    [font=Century Gothic]In "The Grand," Jack Faro(Woody Harrelson) is released from a 12-step program(one for each controlled substance), so he can compete in a multi-million poker tournament to have a chance to save his grandfather's(Barry Corbin) casino. But he is going… More

  • Sol C


    Very funny and entertaining. I was very impressed that the majority of the film was improvised. I thought that David Cross, Cheryl Hines, Dennis Farina, and Chris Parnell was hilarious in the film. It was also great seeing Gabe Kaplan (Mr. Kotter from Welcome Back Kotter) in the film… More

  • Christopher B


    Terrible follow up to the excellent Incident as Loch Ness by Penn. In an interview he said that over 90% of the film is improvised and that may have a lot to do with how unfunny it is, nothing really seems to be that well thought out. Jokes, story, poker hands, everything. Also,… More

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