Review of Hard Eight (1997) by Zack P — 03 Jul 2006

Paul Thomas Anderson's debut feature film.

An excellent performance by Philip Baker Hall. His character, Sydney, is immensely intriguing: an angel of grace, a messenger of judgment, and a father figure to John.

John Finnegan is played by John C. Reilly with believable naivete and energy befitting a young man willing to listen to whatever Sydney (nicknamed "Captain" by Gwyneth Paltrow's character, Clementine).

Originally supposed to be named "Sydney," but changed by the studios into "Hard Eight.".

In the movie, Sydney has two friends, Floyd Gondolli and Jimmy Gator, who are played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in [i]Boogie Nights[/i] and Philip Baker Hall in [i]Magnolia[/i] respectively.

Film opens up with a black eighteen-wheeler passing by coffee shop, then Sydney in a black suit walking up to John, who is sitting against the outsidel diner wall.

Sydney offers to help John learn how to eke out a living in casinos. Two years later, they meet the benevolent waitress/prostitute Clementine and foul-mouthed gangster Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson). John marries Clementine. The first night she sells herself for 300 dollars to a man in a hotel, who doesn't pay her, so John threatens to kill him.

Sydney rescues the situation, sending John and Clementine away to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. Meanwhile, Jimmy threatens to tell John the truth about Sydney: not only did Sydney, "classic big timer" lose the hard eight, but he shot John's father in the face several years ago in Atlantic City.

Sydney makes a deal with Jimmy. Then Jimmy gambles the money, wins the hard eight, and comes home with a hooker. Sydney shoots Jimmy. Takes his money.

Returns to the Coffee shop from the beginning. Drinks his coffee. Sees the blood on his shit cuff. Covers it with his suit sleeve. Fade out.