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Visitors Review

wsuggs74 2012-05-18 18:55:42

Best Poker movie since Cincinatti Kid

Yes, its silly, but so was Spinal Tap, which The Grand owes a debt toin many ways.Gabe Kaplan is hilarious as the father of two poker pros and DennisFarina has the old time Vegas hood down pat. Phil Gordon, the best liveteacher in poker, has some great lines as the tournament commentator.You will spot a friend or yourself in one or more of the players, andthe cameos are fun, including Phil "the hillside strangler" Laak as hewas introduced..If you like poker and still have a funny bone, this is as good as itgets.

Roland E. Zwick 2012-05-18 07:14:28

dull, unfunny parody

"The Grand" is a mockumentary about six internet poker players whogather in Las Vegas for a $10 million, winner-take-all tournament.A game, eclectic cast - Woody Harrelson, Hank Azaria, Chris Parnell,Ray Romano, Werner Herzog, Gabe Kaplan - struggles with a mediocrescript that, in tone as well as in style, steals clumsily from allthose far superior Christopher Guest movies like "Waiting for Guffman,""Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." In the case of "The Grand," thehumor is largely lacking, as each eccentric character plays out hislittle assigned shtick over and over and over again.As executed by writer/director Zak Penn, the poker scenes areparticularly languid and lifeless and utterly incomprehensible to anynon-poker players who may happen to be a part of the audience.

2012-05-16 09:10:42

Climax Comes As Relief

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) "The Grand" starts off with an amazing lack of humor, especially considering how hard it tries. Woody Harrelson as one-eyed Jack Faro is probably a take-off on Johnny Depp's role as one-eyed Jack Sparrow. It's not funny. The film centers on Faro's drug and alcohol addiction that have left him close to losing the family business, a gambling casino called the Rabbit's Foot. That's not funny. Cheryl Hines who was nominated for an Emmy for "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in 2005 plays gambling whiz Lainie Schwartzman. She's not easy to like, constantly complaining. One wonders what the attraction is with her husband played by Ray Romano. David Cross plays Lainie's gambling brother. He's obnoxious, a loser, and completely self-centered. Dennis Farina as L.B.J. Deuce Fairbanks plays a gambler who treats everybody badly. Richard Kind plays Andy Andrews, a bumbling amateur who by sheer luck makes it to the finals. Chris Parnell from "Saturday Night Live" plays the stone-faced Harold Melvin whose lack of emotion is something we're supposed to find funny. Director Werner Herzog who won a Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982 for "Fitzcaraldo" plays the German who likes to kill animals. Michael McKean who was Lenny on "Laverne & Shirley" plays the ruthless rich guy trying to foreclose on The Rabbit's Foot. The scenes are improvised and mostly don't work. The climax comes more as relief that the film will finally be over than as an exciting conclusion. This film didn't work on so many levels for me. It wasn't funny. While the actors did what they were supposed to do, none of the characters were interesting or someone for whom you could cheer. Director Zak Penn has done a lot of work in the industry such as writing "The Incredible Hulk," but this was not the project for which he'll be remembered. Taxi!

2012-05-15 20:33:26

What A Loser

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The less said about this dog of a movie, the better. It ate up 104 minutes of my life. That is so unfair. It has to be one of the worst films I've ever seen. Under the Special Features Section I noticed that there are "Alternative Endings" and "Deleted Scenes" listed. I can't imagine what scenes were deleted. I can only say that not eough were.I always liked watching Woody Harrelson on "Cheers," as the dumb bartender who got off good one-liners. He falls flat on his face here, however, as the gambler with 74 wives. If one of those is the runaway bride from the Atlanta area-- the photograph looks just like her with that wide-eyed stare-- then that is mildly amusing. But all the king's horses and all the king's men can't save this scrambled egg of a movie.Walk your dog, play with your cat or treat youself to a good chocolate dessert but avoid this film at all costs unless you are certain you will live to see a hundred and have precious time to waste.

2012-05-13 20:43:31

Not quite up to Christpher Guest's Standard

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) If you liked "Best of Show", "A Mighty Wind" and "Waiting for Guffman" then you might be intersted in this movie. It has a totally different set of cast and crew and does not include Christpher Guest. Notice I ignored "For Your Consideration."This movie deals with a National Texas Hold Em winner take all tournment. The main character is Woody Harrelson who plays a down and out addicted to every known drug and vice low life who is about to lose his casino that his uncle gave to him before he died. Woody checks out of rehab where he has resided for the past two years to win the $10 million tournament and save his casino that he is about to lose to a shady real estate developer.The movie is a fictional docu-drama developing the characters of the 6 finalists and their family. They could have left Gabe Kaplan out of it!There are guest appearances by mainstays in the Texas Hold em tournaments, however, there is no character development on them possible because they have already been over exposed on ESPN et al.There were some instances where the spoofs failed but for the most part it was funny. The two announcers were even funnier than the announcers on "Dodge Ball"No Academy award winning performances but a great effort by all. The ending was different than you expected. The movie was just long enough to keep your attention.

2012-05-13 11:47:14

Although Likely Of Only Modest Interest To Many Viewers, Versatile Skills Of Many Contribute To Its Development.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) "The Grand Championship of Poker", held at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, furnishes the backdrop for this cleverly constructed mockumentary that will please aficionados of the card game, although viewers not conversant with the rules of poker will understandably be more interested in the personalities involved, thanks to the able leadership of director Zak Penn, who provides his cast with only a briefly outlined scenario from which to work. This, then, is primarily an improvisational work, with the actors representing actual well-known poker tournament contestants, all the while not themselves knowing the film's outcome, since they are engaged in ongoing competition with highly proficient professionals, contending for a winner-take-all prize of $10 million. Resourceful editing is the determinant to success for an episodic affair of this sort, and that duty is capably handled by Abby Schwarzwalder, being of particular value during the production's earlier segments, when a wide range of defined character types is created by director Penn. The film loses much of its impact during its lattermost sequences as a result of poker jargon being extensively utilized, and probably not comprehensible to a good many viewers. The Anchor Bay DVD release enjoys outstanding audio and visual quality and offers a liberal number of interesting extra features. These include: a brace of alternate endings; some truly comedic deleted scenes that have optional commentary by Penn, writer/executive producer Matt Bierman, and actor Michael Karnow; "Wild Cards" - a goodly amount of footage that profiles major players along with some cameo roles; a full-length audio commentary with Penn, Bierman and Karnow, marked by the director's efforts to keep the other two focussed upon the film; and a substantial group of selected scene commentaries with Penn and Woody Harrelson, in addition to one with the director and players Cheryl Hines and Ray Romano. From among a large collection of talented performers we may enjoy some excellent turns, acting honours going to Chris Parnell as a social misfit who is also a genius at poker. These extras, taken together, will comprise the principal reason for a majority of those who are not fans of poker playing to acquire this work, their entertainment value offsetting any constraints caused by a self-destructing effect fashioned from the game's usage of poker nomenclature, a failing that will leave many viewers adrift.

hall895 2012-05-10 01:00:04

Where are the laughs?

The Grand is an improvisational comedy which ultimately is a letdownbecause it simply is not funny enough. There are some talentedperformers here who you would think might be able to make somethinglike this work but it never really comes together. The movie has itsmoments but even at its best it is never really laugh out loud funny.And for whatever moments there might be which kind of work there aremany more moments which just don't work at all. Doing improv can belike walking a high wire without a net. And this movie more or lessfalls off that high wire and goes splat.The movie centers around a major, $10 million winner-take-all pokertournament and the eclectic, eccentric cast of characters chasing thebig prize. Unfortunately most of these characters are probably a littletoo eccentric to be taken seriously. Then again this is not really amovie meant to be taken seriously, it's meant to make you laugh. Ashame then that it fails at that too. There may be some mild chuckleshere and there but the movie never hits any great comedic heights.Among the performers David Cross is the only one who really stands out.He's actually very good. Everyone else ranges from mediocre to totaldud. Woody Harrelson's the purported star of the movie and he's ratherlifeless although to be fair it almost has to be that way for thecharacter he's playing. Richard Kind, playing a poker novice, ismoderately amusing but none of the other major players in thetournament bring much to the table. And some of the supportingperformances are terribly disappointing. Michael McKean's character iseccentric to the point of stupidity. It doesn't work at all. Ray Romanohas probably never in his life been as desperately unfunny as he is inthis movie. Gabe Kaplan is incredibly dull. And poker commentator MikeWerbe, played by Michael Karnow, is an impossibly annoying abomination.Every time he opens his mouth you want to reach inside the screen andslap him. And, while a novel concept, improvising the poker poses amajor problem as well. Because if the actors play stupidly your bigfinish will not ring true to any serious poker player and it willultimately doom the movie to failure. And never underestimate theability of actors to play poker stupidly. Let's just say it ends upbeing a little difficult to believe in some of these characters asprofessional poker players after actually watching them play. Althoughto be fair by the time we get to the end the movie was probably doomedto failure anyway no matter how the poker played out. This movie was aninteresting idea which unfortunately was not executed well at all.

Ade75 2012-05-09 11:53:15

Take your seat at the final table.

Being a regular poker player myself, i was probably more interested inwatching this, than a non poker player, but you do not have to be anavid poker fan to enjoy this movie, though it would be slightly moreinteresting if you was.Although the main basis of the film is about 6 people who have made thefinal table of a £10m poker tournament, it goes into more detail at thestart of the film, of each particular person and their background etc,so by the end of the movie when the final is being played, you willprobably have a favourite as to who you want to win.But although the movie was watchable, it wasn't that good that youwould want to watch it again and halfway through the film you've apretty good idea how its going to end.If you are into poker, look out for cameo appearances of Doyle Brunsonand Phil Helmuth.Verdict: Watchable but don't expect too much out of it.

2012-05-05 04:14:16

Poker Playing Parody

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This was a funny, well-written satire of those who populate the poker championship world. Such people are often flamboyant odd balls, willing to do almost anything to have the edge over the competition. This movie makes you feel like you know them up close, and yet are sympathetic to their oddities. The cast of the Grand (the name of the champioship) is an impressive group of well-known comedians and character actors, including Ray Romano and Jason Alexander, among many others. It is fast paced and interesting. Whether you are a poker player or not, this movie is worth seeing for the outstanding performances and good script.

brian 2012-05-04 14:53:44

This Grand tournament worth watching

this movie is a shot across the bow at how fast the "sport" of poker has turned into something so grand that millions watch and thousands take part in. Nothing is sacred here, the director pokes fun at Internet players and how each player has his or her own characteristics. The story is about "One Eyed" Jack Faro (Woody Harrelson) who is in need of quick cash in order to save his dead Grand Fathers Casino the Rabbits Foot, that he enters his own tournament to win the money to pay off the casino's debts. Other players are brother and sister Larry (David Cross) and Lainie Schwartzman (Cheryl Hines) her husband Fred Marsh (Ray Romano) The one truly annoying player was Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell), others were L.B.J. Deuce Fairbanks (Dennis Farina) is one of the old timers along with The German (Werner Herzog) other player cameos are played by Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, along with several real "pro" players, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth Jr. The Internet winner is Andy Andrews (Richard Kind). The games are all ad-libbed the hands were dealt and winners were decided as the games were played, most of the script is also said to be ad-libbed. This movie is much better than others of its kind, I give The Grand a 3 and on my avoidance scale I give it a 0.

2012-04-27 06:23:33

A Likeable Little Comedy

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I very much wanted to hate this movie when I started watching it. The director was pulling the Christopher Guest routine of introducing a bunch of weird characters, most of whom seemed weird for the sake of being weird. I'm about as sick of poker as most ESPN viewers. There didn't seem much to offer.I don't think it was until I was well into the movie that I stopped criticizing it and just let it work for me. Ok, also Werner Herzog as "The German", a psychotic poker player who must kill an animal every day (but loves his bunny) was also showing up. But this is a movie about very likeable characters who are funny in their own ways. And yes, the "everything is improv" formula tends to fail more often than it succeeds, but there's a real heart to this movie.And there's a lot of talent too. I always assume that Keanu Reeves must be the nicest guy in Hollywood because he's not getting all those roles from his innate talent (although sometimes the wooden works, especially when you're second banana after a speeding bus) and Zak Penn seems to have the same friendliness going for him. There are a LOT of actors in this thing who must have taken a pay cut because they are innately good. Gabe Kaplan shows up as a soccer dad (except instead of soccer he forces his kids to play poker) with David Cross and Cheryl Hines as his slightly wounded but really good poker playing progeny. I've seen Richard Kind stealing two shows this year, this being one of them (although he played Voltaire/Pangloss in the opera Candide so can you really say that he stole it?) making me wish that someone would finally get around to putting out complete seasons of Spin City.This isn't a great awe inspiring movie, but it's a pleasant couple of hours and sometimes that's really all you want to see (considering that I'm now trying to get through Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition) I may very well just have to watch it again afterwards.

Joel A 2012-04-26 19:17:10

What's The Big Deal?

I played poker professionally in Las Vegas for six years (2001-2006), and I was told to go see this movie. What a waste of time, as the actors are amazing, but the story and any drama is ZERO.The best character was that of Jason Alexander, but he was only in the film for about three minutes. The poker was not realistic, and the characters, such as David Cross, were not utilized to the fullest. This could have been a great spoof, but even Phil Gordon who plays a television announcer who swears during broadcasts, miscalled a hand (There is a pair of 2s on the board and a 4-flush in diamonds. When Woody Harelson turns over a King High Flush, Phil announces that the only way his opponent can win is with the Ace of Diamonds. I guess Phil missed the possible straight flush on the board and also that there was a pair on the board so a full house or quads would also win).Woody Harelson has so much talent, and he is great in this movie, but the story goes no where and the movie was a waste of time and money.Too bad, this could have been something. It even got a nice write up in Sports Illustrated.

Jim Downs 2012-04-20 12:41:32

Surprisingly I enjoyed this film

I have to say I really enjoyed this film. I saw it at Tribeca lastmonth and to be honest I didn't have high expectations. I personallydon't like most of the movies the writer/director (Zak Penn) haswritten of late (mostly big action comic book movies), but this is notthat kind of film.What honestly attracted me to this film was that it's an improv stylefilm starring one of my favorite SNL people ever, Chris Parnell. Hedoesn't disappoint. He plays a lonely poker player who has some kind ofmental problem where he's brutally honest and very, very skilled inmath (which makes him a great player). Chris steals every scene he'sin, which aren't enough if you ask me, but I'm biased so take that witha grain of salt.The other actors hold their own in their respective roles all workingto try and win a big tournament for 10 million dollars. I don't knowenough about poker to know if it's at all accurate, but the good thingis the film doesn't really focus on actual poker all that often.If you like the films of Christopher Guest (which I do), then I thinkyou'll like this film as well.

2012-04-19 21:15:51

A Mockumentary that Falls Short

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I had no idea what to expect when I received "The Grand" to review. I had never heard of it. And seeing the cast of well-known actors (Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Cheryl Hines), I didn't have a good feeling about it. It's been my experience these are typically flops if I've never even heard of them.My presumption turned out to be largely correct. "The Grand" is cut from the same cloth as "Best In Show", "Spinal Tap" and the like, and in fact includes many of the same actors tha that you'd expect for what seems like the loosely-scripted genre that included Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthisasm") and Michael McKean (who is in most of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries). There are lots of familiar faces in this movie. David Cross (Arrested Development), Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back, Kotter), Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live), Dennis Farina, Estelle Harris. The actors all do a decent job but there just isn't much material to work with.I do have one caveat. Poker has become big business in the USA, and it may well be that I am just "out of the loop" in this area and don't understand the subtleties of the game. There are some cameos from real poker players in this movie, and in fact Gabe Kaplan (skin stretched too tight for his years) has been a prominent poker player for years. The acting is good, the story was not interesting to me, but this may well be worth a view if you're a big fan of any of the actors or the world of Poker.

2012-04-15 07:26:10

Christopher Guest Should Tutor Zak Penn ...

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Grand helps film-lovers TRULY appreciate the work of Christopher Guest. If you ever thought "improv mockumentaries" were "easy" to create, this film proves otherwise. While pieces like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind are as brilliant as they are subtle, this film is dull and devoid of nuance. An hour into The Grand, I realized I had not laughed once. Here are (only some of) our characters (and some explanation why the work fails as comedy): Deuce Fairbanks:Dennis Farina plays this Rascal-riding poker-legend who assaults casino-goers with his power-scooter. Expect no surprises here.The German:Werner Herzog is a stereotypical blood-thirsty, sadistic German. He carts a menagerie of furry animals to the casino because he "must kill something everyday." Again, expect no surprises here.Harold Melvin: The name says it all. Chris Parnell plays a "Rainman" type character (sans the warmth but including the screaming). He is an uber-nerd who still lives with his mother (Estelle Harris) and obsessively carries a sippy-cup containing his vitamins (a.k.a. "brainjuice"). Mocking people who suffer from Asperger Syndrome (or any form of Autism) ... not funny. Listening to George's mom from Seinfeld "curse a blue-streak" ... also not funny (or even shocking ... just low). Andy Andrew:"Mad About You"'s Richard Kind plays a small-town math teacher. He won his spot at The Grand through a real online poker-playing site (which I am not permitted to mention here). (Talk about shameless product-placement!!) His wife owns a ribbon-store (which is just a little too random for my taste ... silly for the sake of being silly).One-Eyed Jack Faro:The much-loved Woody Harrelson plays the heir to the "Rabbit's Foot" casino. Unfortunately, his destructive drug-habit proves a detriment to his business (no kidding).Some of televison's most adored stars play minor-roles: Hank Azaria, Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Gabe Kaplan etc... And the film is still excruciating. Perhaps the fatal-flaw of this work is that it tries to follow too many characters. The film is unfocused and unfunny.If anything, Penn's "effort" gave me an appreciation for comedy that genuinely works. If you are looking for great improv, see the above-listed Guest films. If you are seeking an amusing sport's movie (that is just "dumb but fun"), grab Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story ... it has the same running-commentary and goofy-graphics but it actually works!! Nonetheless, if you are searching for a work in which some of your favorite television stars awkwardly blurt-out vulgarities (and the "awkward" aspect is what bothers me), this is your film.

2012-04-14 16:52:24

Occasionally funny, mostly pathetic

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This film had its moments of humor, but they were few and far between, and likely as not to be found in one of the deleted scenes or character profiles. In fact, some of the funniest bits are with the real-world poker stars who make cameo appearances in the film.The story centers on a $10 million poker tournament called The Grand (hence the name of the movie). The film was made on location in the old section of Las Vegas, in and around the Golden Nugget. Woody Harrelson is the main character in the movie and the only one in the tournament who is trying to win for semi-altruistic reasons. A heavy drug and alcohol abuser, who has lived in a rehab center for several years, he wants to buy back the casino he inherited from his dead uncle and then lost through various combinations of substance abuse and stupid decisions.Of all the main characters, Woody Harrelson is perhaps the most likable, with Dennis Farina taking a close second place. Richard Kind's character is funny at first, but he quickly gets annoying and you find yourself glad when he makes his exit. The rest of the crew is a combination of mean and/or pathetic in different amounts. The film is somewhat educational in that, if you know nothing about poker, you'll learn a few terms and some of the techniques employed by professional players. It is also good in that it doesn't really glamorize gambling, as the players are generally pathetic losers, each with their own crippling idiosyncrasies and lack of social skills. Harrelson's substance abuse is likewise portrayed in a pathetic light - he only manages to pass out in his hotel room after his "bender".There are some small attempts at promoting familial reconciliation, but the people involved are so pathetic and mean spirited that it is more of a disappointment than heartwarming. If someone is really into poker and/or thinks that cut-downs and insults are the height of humor, they would probably really enjoy this movie. If someone is a huge Woody Harrelson fan, or a fan of one of the other stars in the movie, they would likewise probably enjoy this movie. At Amazon's current price of $10, you can probably take a chance and see if it is for you, but you're likely to find this one for $5 or less in a bargain bin somewhere within a couple of months.

jfmvp 2012-04-11 12:50:21

A "Grand" Ol' Time (painful, I know)

The first three-quarters of Zak Penn's "The Grand" are hilarious,especially for avid fans of No Limit Texas Hold 'Em -- you know, thetypes of fans who understand whom the characters satirize: Lainie Schwartzman is Annie Duke, Larry Schwartzman is Phil Hellmuth(though the brother/sister storyline mirrors that of Duke and HowardLederer),and Mike "The Bike" Heslov and his "Crew" represent all ofthose annoying groups of friends that enter the World Series of Pokeras partners, and then root each other on while spewing their own brandof Hold 'Em lingo. In this case, a "BBFC" -- Boom Boom Fold Cock.That's one of the films shortest, and yet most entertaining scenes.David Cross (as Larry Schwartzman), Chris Parnell (as Harold Melvin),and acclaimed director Werner Herzog (as The German) are the stars ofthis show. All three are funny and memorable for their own reasons, andthe casting was spot on for that particular trio of characters. DennisFarina (Deuce Fairbanks), Richard Kind (Andy Andrews), Ray Romano (FredMarsh), and Gabe Kaplan (the Schwartzmans' dad) also put in fine work.Woody Harrelson was annoying in the lead as Jack Faro, though he hadhis moments, especially when discussing his drug and alcoholaddictions. Cheryl Hines gives the most uneven and disappointingperformance of this mockumentary, finding no consistency andlittle-to-no laughs.While the first 3/4 of "The Grand" are high in entertainment value andoriginality, the last quarter falls totally flat. The would-be hightension final table hands are horribly played, and no true fan of Hold'Em could believe that these players are of the world-class variety. Inthe real world, they'd all be donkeys.Nonetheless, "The Grand" was a pleasant surprise when I stumbled uponit on one of the Showtime channels. This is on par with ChristopherGuest's mockumentaries -- better than some, and worse than others.Ultimately, it's worth seeing for poker fans with a specific sense ofhumor.

2012-04-11 01:26:25

Improvisational mockumentary about a poker tournament

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I like playing poker, but very few films can take a card game and turn it into something that will hold your attention for an hour or more. Sadly, neither my husband nor I enjoyed "The Grand" and for once, we're both in agreement on a star rating. The idea behind "The Grand" is to turn a poker tournment into something of a reality show with game play interspersed between character commentary. Writer Zak Penn's script is really only about 29 pages long, so the cast is doing a lot of improv."The Grand" follows six players as they compete in a $2,000,000 pot Texas Hold'em tournament in Vegas. Woody Harrelson is Jack Faro. He is a lifetime drug abuser (he's tried everything you can smoke and snort) who has inherited the "Rabbit's Foot Casino" from his grandfather. If he doesn't win the tournament, he's going to lose the casino. Plus there are the twins: Lainie and Larry Schwartzman. Laine (Cheryl Hines) is a Mom who works to support her family playing poker. Her husband is a fantasy football junkie who she wishes would find 'something else.'Larry Schzartzman (David Cross) is a single man who's known for his obnoxious behavior at the table. Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell) is a statistics savant with what I suspect is a massive case of Aspergers. He still lives with his Mom, who is about the only person he can (barely) stand.Deuce Fairbanks (Dennis Farina) is a politically-incorrect old geezer who has been on the circuit for years and will cheerfully bemoan what has become of the game to anyone who's foolish enough to listen. Andy Andrews (Richard Kind) is a newbie who knows nothing about poker, but by sheer luck has won a chair in the tournament. You also have a huge supporting cast of actors and real poker players. My problem was, there wasn't a single player in the tournament who I could cheer for. Worse, when the announcer mis-called a hand, I was pretty much ready to fold on the film myself. I've enjoyed several gambling films, including "Maverick" and "Rounders", but "The Grand" failed to live up to my expectations. Thanks, I'd rather spend an hour and a half playing penny ante and experience the thrill first hand. Rebecca Kyle, June 2008

Slickflix 2012-04-09 06:52:02

"Yes, I did get thrown out of my own Casino."

It's hard to be a poker fan in the world of movies. Let's face it, howmany great poker movies can you think of? "Rounders" perhaps. Despite"Texas Hold'Em" growing extraordinarily popular over the last fewyears, Hollywood has really failed to capitalize on the trend. I'mhappy to report that the wait is over. "The Grand" not only emerges asa wonderful poker film, but also one of the best comedies I've seen inages. While it doesn't seem to be well known now, I predict it willfind a massive audience on DVD and Cable, ala "Office Space". "The Grand" is a mocumentary (in the tradition of Christopher Guest),following six players as they compete in huge Texas Hold'em tournamentin Nevada. Along the way we meet many other supporting characters,including family and friends of the main six, as well as otherparticipants in the tournament. The initial six are…Woody Harrelson as "One Eyed" Jack Faro. He is a lifetime drug abuserwho has inherited the "Rabbit's Foot Casino" from his grandfather. Alarge debt has forced him to enter into the tournament his Casino ishosting.Cheryl Hines as Lainie Schwartzman. She is a mother of five whosupports her family (which includes a deadbeat husband) as aprofessional poker player. She is also the sister of…David Cross as Larry Schwartzman. He is also a professional pokerplayer, known around the circuit for his obnoxious behavior. The factthat his father puts his support behind his sister Lainie onlymotivates him more to win the tournament.Chris Parnell as Harold Melvin. A statistics expert who uses hisknowledge of numbers to his advantage as a poker pro. He is alsoludicrously Anti-Social, and lives still lives with his elderly mother.Dennis Farina as Deuce Fairbanks. The old timer who's been on the scenefor years, and has nothing but contempt for what's become of the gameover the past few years.Richard Kind as Andy Andrews. A novice player who won an online pokertournament by chance to win his seat at "The Grand", despite knowingabsolutely nothing about the game of poker.Some supporting performers include Judy Greer, Michael McKean, RayRomano, Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, and Shannon Elizabeth. Real lifePro players Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Laak also makeappearances, as well as filmmakers Brett Ratner and Werner Herzog. As you can see, this is a huge ensemble, and director Zak Penn handlesit impeccably. Every performance shines, and the pace is fast and fun.I think I laughed three times as much in this film than in any featureall year. The humor is always there, be it in the witty dialogue, thegreat ensemble, or the various clever scenarios.As stated before, the film is structured similarly to a Chris Guestmocumentary, alternating between testimonials of the characters, andfollowing the players around as they play in the tournament. Thetournament itself is presented similarity to a telecast of "The WorldSeries of Poker", complete with mismatched commentators. I'm not the biggest fan of Penn's superhero stuff, but I thought he didsomething clever with his Herzog Loch Ness project. Here, he hits areal sweet spot, creating a real love letter to fans of poker and smartcomedy alike.

jeff whitefield 2012-04-08 20:06:28

horrible attempt at "indie film".

for some reason the cover of this movie had me worried it was corny andawful, but with actors like David cross, werner herzog, and cherylhines, i really wanted to give it a chance. what i ended up watchingwas hours of horrible snl style skits, done over and over again, withno punch-line, no intelligent thought, and terrible film-making/acting.how all these actors got together and decided to do this is beyond me,unless they were already going to be in town to play poker anyways orsomething. don't waste your time seeing this movie, its seriously theworst thing I've seen in a long time. it tries to be a "David guest"style mocu-mentary, but fails horribly, and ends up giving whoeverwatches it a headache and a horrible impression of who people likewerner herzog and David cross are, don't judge them by the fact thatthey are in this movie, they are both talented individuals.