Hopkins and Hal Holbrook were special bonuses. Both of these gentlemen perform so superbly that you forget they're acting. A delight to the very end, a must-see for anyone loving a good surprise.

them.Especially Stuart Townsend,who is my favorite actor.He's amazing. If you have the chance to see this film,you really should give it a go.You won't regret it!

by public opinion, I beg to differ. Rock, Cop Land, Shade were all excellent movies, he was good in the remake of Get Carter as well. Stuart Townsend also is an up and coming actor. It's a shame a well made movie like this didn't go to theaters.It is movies like Shade and Poolhall Junkies that I can sit down and enjoy watching, forget sitting and watching the Pitch Black's, the Torque's and all those other overhyped movies, give me the sleepers anyday!

Stallone's performance was the cherry on top.

well shot and hip debut from writer/director Damien Niemen. The film perhaps couldn't raise finance because it wasn't bankable. There is no big lead. Stallone would be the headlining name but he has a supporting role and of course with a lot of similarly themed films of equal to higher standard then it's a difficult one to find a market for. I watched this when it was released straight to video in the UK, a shame in many ways because this is a good film. Now what makes this good. Firstly the script is good. It's not original by any means but it's sharp and has good dialogue and interesting characters. Secondly the cast is excellent. When you think straight to video you think of Eric Roberts, Gary Busey, Dolph Lundgren, Jean Claude Van Damme, headlining and perhaps one or two other recognisable faces. This has a great cast, with Stuart Townsend, Gabriel Byrne, Thandie Newton, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith and of course Sly Stallone. Townsend is excellent as the mechanic, basically the guy who can manipulate a deck of cards to his advantage, he is the key to the group of grifters consisting of him, Newton, and Byrne. They have a big score in mind, to take down master cards-man and king of all mechanics, the Dean played by Stallone. Now Byrne and Newton are both excellent but this is a great role for Stallone. Sly gives a great performance in this and it's a role that requires an inner depth and a subtlety and Stallone delivers.Overall this is a very good movie. The score from Chris Young is good, nicely funky and understated and it's well shot. The film is also very well edited and stylish. It's not quite as good as Oceans Eleven because that was far more elaborate and with an even more impressive cast and similarly hip and stylish. At the end of the day Sly fans will be happy. It's not a big box office film but while he tries to re-launch himself as a money maker by doing sequels to Rocky and Rambo he should keep doing independent movies to give him testing roles. ****

made movie, but not perfect. I give it an 8/10.

characters never reveal the final, surprise ending. The range of card tricks and poker maneuvers would never play in Vegas, but they are clever and well-executed. A bonus feature on the DVD illustrates and explains how the actors learned the dynamics of slight-of-hand at the Magic Castle for magicians in Los Angeles.

manipulations... truly remarkable!! Tyro director Nieman, also its scripter, obviously well, my guess, anyway! drew upon the mood & style of varied "con" films, as well as "The Usual Suspects" et al. -- i.e., it's a non-linear unfolding of the story and a lot of intentionally vague relationships that leaves the viewer to fill in the blanks. Personally, I like obtuse films, but it may annoy those who insist on everything being spelled out, and in order. Not a great film, but a fine debut for Nieman and very interesting to view. Also excellent acting by most of the cast, with no real scenery chewing exc. Jamie Foxx, who was a bit over the top; but hey, there ARE people who are like that, so...!? .