Poker movie: The Grand

Author: Simon Dexter

Another week, another poker movie, this time The Grand likely to be screened here later in the year. Starring Woody Harrelson and with cameo appearances from leading poker players such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson, a number of US critics have called it “the best poker-themed movie since Rounders.” The only problem with such praise is that it doesn’t have much to beat.

It’s not quite uproarious, but there’s enough improvised comedy, in-jokes and believable characters to make the movie work.

The story revolves around half a dozen players who square off in a winner-takes-all poker tournament; each participant could be called a ‘character’ – from the archetypal ladies man (Harrelson) and social outcast (Chris Parnell) to a disagreeable type (David Cross) and his sister (Cheryl Hines) whose ‘industrial’ vocabulary makes Amy Winehouse sound like a nun.

There are few genuine surprises as the movie builds to its million climax, although there’s plenty of deep, hard staring, poker clichés and enough dramatic tension to make the audience believe that director Zak Penn has seen the occasional final table. If it doesn’t make the movie screen, catch it on DVD.

Tense, exciting poker is the norm here at Littlewoods Poker, the UK’s premier online poker site