Review of Hard Eight (1997) by Skyler W — 17 Sep 2008
PTA's first film is nothing really spectacular, nothing to write home about. I have seen all of Paul Thomas Anderson's films and I have to say this is not one of his best. For a first film however, it is a pretty good start.
That characters didn't seem as developed as the characters in some of his other films, especially Magnolia and Boogie Nights. On the other hand there are some great things about Hard Eight, my favorite being the ending and PTA's style of making your own conclusions.
When the credits roll, you don't know what and where the characters will go now. That, to me is the best part of Hard Eight, as it is really a film about mystery without being anything over the top mysterious.
You find yourself not really needing to know the answer behind the mystery, but yet there seems to be a strong desire to understand why. For a fan of PTA, Hard Eight is a must see, however I think you have to know and respect the filmmaker himself to fully respect Hard Eight.
This review of Hard Eight (1997) was written by Skyler W on 17 Sep 2008.
Hard Eight has generally received positive reviews.
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