Saturday, October 15, 2016

All In: The Poker Movie - 7 stars out of 10

All In: The Poker Movie - 7 stars out of 10

“All In: The Poker Movie” doesn’t contain any earth-shattering revelations or plot twists.  Still, this documentary captures the history of poker tournaments and its unexpected renaissance at the turn of the millennium.  Poker may seem like a pretty dry subject for a documentary (and especially for weekly tv coverage), but those who play Texas Hold ‘Em understand how gripping it can be to watch one person strategically put so much money on the line.  This film includes interviews with most of poker’s major players including Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Annie Duke, Chris Ferguson, and an extensive look at the unlikely path of Chris Moneymaker.  Matt Damon also weighs in since his film “Rounders” had a profound impact on so many beginning poker players in the nineties.  The driving force of the film comes from the testimonials of these poker stars and their opinions will speak strongly to players of the game who have religiously watched the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker; however, the general public’s lack of familiarity with these players may leave some viewers feeling overwhelmed with unknown names.  “All In: The Poker Movie” will likely resonate better with poker players but it serves as a great jumping off-point for anybody who is curious about society’s obsession with a centuries-old card game.

[Pictured: America's obsession with this game may seem odd, but this documentary provides a lot of clarification about the hype.]

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