Review of Hard Eight (1997) by Jim H — 01 May 2014
A gambler takes a hapless fellow under his wing, but when he falls for the wrong woman, their lives could be threatened.
Paul Thomas Anderson's feature film debut is a slow-moving but compelling drama. Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly, who would later become PTA alums, play characters reminiscent of their careers as a whole -- Hall a tough, restrained fatherly figure and Reilly a dumb, doe-eyed everyman. Usually these characters are confined to the background, but when PTA focuses on them, they are compelling.
The plot isn't much to write home about, and the last-act reveal isn't terribly surprising, but the film marches along inoffensively.
Overall, PTA's debut wasn't the harbinger of greatness that one might expect, but it's certainly worthy of his oeuvre.
This review of Hard Eight (1997) was written by Jim H on 01 May 2014.
Hard Eight has generally received positive reviews.
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