Rounders

Name: Rounders
Genre: Drama
Released: September 11, 1998
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 54
Cast: Edward Norton, Matt Damon

1998

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 103 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 103 Ratings

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Rounders

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: September 11, 1998 | R

Starring: Edward Norton, Matt Damon

Summary: A story of passion, risk, and the extreme price of friendship in the world of high-stakes poker. (Miramax)

Director: John Dahl

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 min

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Critic Reviews

Bruce Diones

Screenwriters Brian Koppelman and David Levien have given some crackerjack card-shark dialogue to two hot young actors—Matt Damon and Edward Norton—and together with John Dahl's atmospheric direction they've all made a dream of a poker movie. Read full review

Susan Wloszczyna

Most novel is Rounders' message that the real sin isn't giving into vice but denying your God-given talents and not risking it all. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Damon is a magical actor. His mind, as sharp and focused as a laser, beams out of the face of a vivacious choirboy, and, in nearly every scene, he invites you to share the jet-propelled pleasure of his precocious agility. Read full review

Film.com Sean Means

Alas, when Rounders lays out its cards, the results aren't as much as you'd been led to believe. But the movie's style and authenticity run a good bluff.

New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo

Damon looks like a kid lost in the wrong neighborhood, and his acting manners underscore that impression--everything is a bit too fine, too neat...An intermittently interesting, intermittently foolish film. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Like Malkovich's out of control Russian accent, Rounders ends up reaching a place too hard to understand and even harder to believe in. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

A tiresome 1998 rip-off of The Hustler, with poker (in a New York Russian Mafia milieu) taking the place of pool, Matt Damon taking over for Paul Newman, and John Malkovich's scenery chewing supplanting Jackie Gleason's self-effacement. Read full review

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User Reviews

ChrisP.

Sep 20, 2005

Awesome!

0 of 1 users found this helpful

JohnB.

Sep 20, 2005

The greatest movie about poker.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

Ulna319

May 17, 2021

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0 of 3 users found this helpful03

SeanF.

Apr 29, 2006

The critics were mostly off on this one, I don't know the movies it is supposedly a knockoff of, but I think this movie's awesome. I don't play poker, and I think it's great, I would think any poker player would think it's sick!

0 of 1 users found this helpful

MovieGuys

Nov 15, 2014

Although the ending is a bit too "Hollywood", Rounders succeeds in engrossing us in the tension of high-stakes poker, and having a good performance from Damon. Norton, on the other hand, plays the same annoying character as per usual, and the only thing more fake than their chemistry is JohnAlthough the ending is a bit too "Hollywood", Rounders succeeds in engrossing us in the tension of high-stakes poker, and having a good performance from Damon. Norton, on the other hand, plays the same annoying character as per usual, and the only thing more fake than their chemistry is John Malkovich's Russian accent.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

Compi24

Sep 23, 2020

Despite stumbling out of the gate with a rather unconvincing opening, John Dahl's "Rounders" eventually swells to a wholly satisfying experience, thanks in no small part to the snappy, sophisticated stylings within David Levien and Brian Koppelman's screenplay. The efforts aren't just onDespite stumbling out of the gate with a rather unconvincing opening, John Dahl's "Rounders" eventually swells to a wholly satisfying experience, thanks in no small part to the snappy, sophisticated stylings within David Levien and Brian Koppelman's screenplay. The efforts aren't just on display in the memorable dialogue and narrativity, but the world-building and thematic content also comprise a good portion of this film's enjoyment. Oddly enough, my favorite scenes from the film weren't even the ones involving card playing. Matt Damon and Edward Norton's characters catching up on lost time, Matt Damon and Martin Landau's characters talking about life, and Matt Damon and John Turturro's characters talking about ambition — as much as I love seeing John Malkovich chewing the scenery (and Oreos), it's these scenes that really will stick with me. That and the excellent use of the piss filter. Gotta love that piss filter.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

KenR

Oct 23, 2019

If there’s a movie or its stars, that’s lost to the late ‘90’s it’s this one and its crew. This grotty swear-fest is so typical of Matt Damon and Edward Norton that it plays out like a cliché – they simply walk through their roles emulating themselves. If you’re a fan of these somewhatIf there’s a movie or its stars, that’s lost to the late ‘90’s it’s this one and its crew. This grotty swear-fest is so typical of Matt Damon and Edward Norton that it plays out like a cliché – they simply walk through their roles emulating themselves. If you’re a fan of these somewhat overrated cardboard-cut-outs then you may be ‘entertained’ (although it’s stretching the word). And, they get plenty of financial assistance from their ole mate, Harvey Weinstein. Nasty characters and sleazy situations overrun this miserable experience - leaving the feeling of needing a shower by the end. Viewers addicted to gambling or card-shark movies may feel at home with these witless lowlifes but ultimately they prove unworthy of empathy or concern.

Some may even feel they’ve just spent 2 Hrs with characters the world would be better off without. Also featured in the acting high-jinks is John Malkovich, who overdoes his chocolate biscuit eating (supposedly ‘Russian’) card-shark-guru, to borderline laughable proportions. John Turturro on the other hand (no pun intended) fares best at attempting to build on a character, along with interesting Gretchen Mol as the suffering girlfriend. For diehard gambling movie fans only.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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100	#100 Best Movie of 1998
51	#51 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
37	#37 Most Shared Movie of 1998