Rounders (1998)
80%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 1 nomination
Richly atmospheric and colorful performances contributed to the movie’s entertainment value
Rounders” is the perfect movie for anyone who loves poker and wants to see Matt Damon and Edward Norton strut their stuff. Sure, some critics might say it’s too unbelievable or predictable, but who cares when you’re watching a bunch of cool dudes play cards and try to outsmart each other? Plus, Gretchen Mol and John Turturro are also in it, so you know it’s gonna be good. So grab some popcorn, put on your best poker face, and get ready to be immersed in the world of high-stakes gambling.
Production Company(ies)
Break Thru Films,
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
15 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for pervasive strong language, some sexuality and brief drug use
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 0m
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Language(s):English, Hebrew, Russian
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 8, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 10, 2009
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Gretchen Mol, Famke Janssen, John Malkovich, directed by John Dahl, written by David Levien, Brian Koppelman, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jason Bailey, Owen Gleiberman, Rita Kempley, Todd McCarthy, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Trevor Johnston, Mark Jackson, Richard Propes, Betty Jo Tucker, Jon Fortgang, MPAA rating R, poker, gambling, Russian gangster, debt, cheating, Miramax Films, Joel Stillerman, Ted Demme, SDDS, Dolby Digital, Surround, Scope (2.35:1)
Worldwide gross: $22,912,409
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $42,047,501
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,415
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,585,333
US/Canada gross: $22,912,409
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $42,047,501
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,144
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,459,126
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $15,523,689
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 772
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $12,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22,021,692
Production budget ranking: 1,324
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $11,858,681
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,167,128
ROI to date (est.): 24%
ROI ranking: 1,270
Ed Norton – Lester ‘Worm’ Murphy
John Turturro – Joey Knish
Gretchen Mol – Jo
Famke Janssen – Petra
John Malkovich – Teddy KGB
Director – John Dahl
Producers – Joel Stillerman, Ted Demme
Writers – David Levien, Brian Koppelman
Director(s)
John Dahl
Writer(s)
David Levien, Brian Koppelman
Producer(s)
Joel Stillerman, Ted Demme
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (80) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (28)
The most vivid and most enjoyable movies immerse us in a world, and show us how that world works. The screenplay by David Levien and Brian Koppelman does that; Dahl’s direction closes the deal.
June 19, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The wholesome pup’s poker face alone, however, hardly accounts for the film’s failure to thrill. Damon’s character doesn’t really have that much stake in the story’s outcome.
March 25, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Intermittently engaging but dramatically slack.
March 25, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Gretchen Mol, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Martin Landau, and Famke Janssen costar; they’re all pretty good, but not good enough to make this 1998 feature worth seeing.
March 25, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The end result is still short of a winning hand, since the screenplay is so utterly predictable.
June 24, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
“Rounders” is basically “Good Will Hunting 2.” I’ll go so far as to say that it’s even more entertaining. I’ve seen “Good Will Hunting” twice. I’ve seen “Rounders” at least nine times.
August 31, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
If you are a fan of poker, you will likely love this film’s portrayal of the poker world.
September 21, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
John Dahl’s film is not as sinister or complex as its cinematic cousin, House of Games, but it is fun to see these young Hollywood studs (Damon, Edward Norton, Gretchen Mol) strut their stuff.
May 3, 2013 | Rating: 71/100
Dan Jardine
Cinemania
Although featuring a splendid Edward Norton performance, ‘Rounders’ comes across as too unbelievable, often straying beyond the bounds of rationality.
October 29, 2011
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
John Dahl creates an intelligent and character-driven crime-drama built around solid performances by Damon and Norton.
March 25, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jon Fortgang
Film4
This ode to the allure of clipping suckers and psyching out the competition is richly atmospheric but thin in the character department.
March 25, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide…
Plot
John Dahl directed this exploration of New York private clubs devoted to high-stakes poker, with first-person narration from the film’s central figure, law student Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), who loses his entire savings to Russian club owner Teddy KGB (John Malkovich). Mike then turns away from cards, devoting his attentions to his law studies and his live-in girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol), who’s concerned when Mike’s former gambling buddy Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison. She has good reason to worry, since it takes Worm only a matter of minutes to draw Mike back into poker action. When she learns Mike has returned to the poker clubs, she moves out, and Mike begins to lose interest in his studies. Worm has a prison debt, and the threatening Grama (Michael Rispoli) wants the money. Mike not only indulges the irresponsible Worm, he gets involved in Worm’s debts. When Grama demands $15,000 on a five-day deadline, the two buddies go into high gear with a non-stop, no-sleep gambling binge that spirals downward toward an ultimate confrontation with Teddy KGB.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels mentions the “colorful performances” in Rounders contributing to its entertainment value, but doesn’t give any specific examples.
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