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Deal (2008)
 
 
A hot-shot college card player and a retired poker legend team-up to take Sin City for all its worth, only to find themselves going toe-to-toe in the ultra-high stakes World Poker Tour. Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison) is a Yale senior with a knack for Texas Hold 'Em. But while Alex dreams of the day he'll be able to dominate the tables out in Las Vegas, he hasn't mastered the art of the cards just yet.

Alex's luck begins to change, however, after a chance encounter with legendary poker player Tommy Vinson (Burt Reynolds). Tommy gave up gambling twenty years ago in hopes that he could save his family. He recognizes the potential in Alex, and he's beginning to regain his confidence after two decades of maintaining a low profile.

Alex agrees to become Tommy's protégé, and together the pair wins every tournament they enter. But Alex's attraction to beautiful Las Vegas call girl Michelle (Shannon Elizabeth) has caused his attention shift away from the tables, and that distraction has opened up a deep chasm between the emerging talent and the undisputed master.
Deal
 
Later, after Alex and Tommy calls off their partnership, they find themselves on opposite sides of the table at the prestigious World Poker Tour. Who will take the top prize? Will it be the old pro who promised he would never gamble again, or the newcomer who learned all of his tricks from the true master of the trade?

Reynolds does less than no acting in his role, and he’s still the best thing in “Deal.” He does look pretty odd, given the dubious plastic surgery of late. Here when Reynolds sits behind his sunglasses (usually indoors), his arms uncomfortably folded, it’s as if he’s trying to keep everything together, lest some of that facial work come off.
 
The film also features Shannon Elizabeth as a Vegas chippy and various real-life poker fixtures playing themselves or versions of themselves, notably Jennifer Tilly as Razor. The old Vegas stock shots appear to try and keep you from realising that this was shot in Louisiana.

"Deal" also has some not-so-subtle product placement (PokerStars and World Poker Tour) with Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton springling themselves on the audience.

The film also has so little about strategy or what to watch for in the big game--and so little actually at stake in the climactic match--that you start to wonder if co-writer/director Gil Cates Jr. has any interest in poker whatsoever.

This is a card game film for anyone who thought ‘21’ was too sophisticated

Wash your underwear instead
Marks : 3/10
Director Gil Cates Jr. Burt Reynolds Tommy Vinson
Writing Gil Cates Jr. Bret Harrison Alex Stillman
Awards Razzie nominated Shannon Elizabeth Michelle
Category Worst Supporting Actor Jennifer Tilly Karen 'Razor' Jones
Who Burt Reynolds Mike Sexton Mike Sexton
 
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