Hard Eight
Directed by:
Paul Thomas AndersonScreenplay:
Paul Thomas AndersonCinematography:
Robert ElswitCast:
Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, F. William Parker, Melora Walters, Robert Ridgely (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Veteran gambler, Sydney, befriends John and proceeds to tutor him in the art of making a living as a gambler. Sydney also takes an interest in Clementine, a cocktail waitress and hooker. One night, Sydney is called to a dark hotel by John and Clementine who have bound and beaten one of her "johns" for non-payment of services. Sydney engineers their escape. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (1)
The feature debut of my PTA favorite naturally doesn't yet reach the maturity and plot coherence of the subsequent Boogie Nights or Magnolia, but already here one can find the germs of Anderson's storytelling mastery and, in particular, a tremendously developed intuition for choosing actors. Plot-wise, it's a cross between a Tarantino and a Coen film; formally, it's an honest 90s film with unmistakable music and atmosphere. [65%]
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