Review of Hard Eight (1997) by Chris M — 30 Mar 2010

I am a massive fan of PT Anderson. I love every one of his films, and this was the missing link for me. It's terrific, a much tighter scope than the sprawling canvases of Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood and Magnolia. It has much more in common with Punch-Drunk Love, as it follows a small group of characters on a very intimate story.

The focus is on character development and dialogue. The writing is brilliant, and Philip Baker Hall is outstanding as Sydney, the 'old-timer', a professional gambler who seems to eke out an anonymous living in the second or third tier of casinos, playing the systems from within to garner free rooms and the like.

He seems to, almost at random, take on John and later Clementine, as a pseudo-father figure, helping them to escape their troubled circumstances. Slowly, slowly the back-stories unravel and the truth of his own existence is revealed.

Still scenes with extended dialogue are occasionally interspersed with what would become the director's trademark tracking shots, and brief flashback glimpses. It's beautifully paced and staged, with excellent performances throughout (including a typical scene-stealing cameo from PS Hoffman).

This is a real gem, with barely a wasted moment. An excellent first feature from a director who has gone on to make some great, great films.