Review of Hard Eight (1997) by Tim H — 11 Jun 2008

Now I've seen most of the Paul Thomas Anderson movie. The guy is good people.

You can really tell that this is one of his early films. He's got the same voice that he uses in his other movies, but just the formatting is a little difference. Probably the best way to understand what I'm saying is comparing this movie to There Will Be Blood, his most recent endevor. (I just dated this review, sorry.) There Will Be Blood has a lot of slow, very patient camera moves. He trusts his actors to hold long cuts without losing attention and maintaining intesity. His visuals are very rich while maintaining a a certain subtetly. Hard Eight begins with some of those choices, but doesn't maintain some of the richness that There Will Be Blood holds.

This movie could easily be confused for just another gambling thriller. There's actions, guns, a lot of shooting, and soem breasteses if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't even deny that this would make a halfway decent double-feature with Rounders, but there's something a little special about the movie. While other gambling thrillers treat their characters as cool or desperate or other entire emotions, this oen has real characters dealing with real problems. Phillip Baker Hall doesn't play cool, although he kind of just lives cool. He knows the score and instead of looking down on others for their ignorance, is constantly repentent and tries to raise people as children. That takes a certain kind of psychosis and Phillip Baker Hall just brings all those levels to that character.

Really, this movie is just a wonderful actor display. I think that Gwyneth Paltrow is an extremely talented actress, but I've never really appreciated her until this movie. The reason being is that she always seems to play herself in everything I see her in. It's always this somewhat privledged character whose problems are internal. I'm not saying that her character doesn't have an internal angst because she really does. But this is not one of those movies that makes you scream "get over yourself." Sure, she does some dumb stuff, but her entire lifestyle backs up those choices and I think that gave Paltrow a lot to work with.

John C. Reilly is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. He's a character actor and recently he's been allowed to helm over the top comedies, which I think is great because he is just a riot., But there's something about his bumbly (sorry, Mr. Reilly) demenor that makes him just come off as a giant man child in a lot of parts, which automatically gives him a little more depth than that of a regular looking adult. You knwo that he's going to make a big mistake and freak out. Hell, his freakouts seem to be the best in Hollywood. In many ways, he's the main character. I sitill say that the show is Phillip Baker Hall's, but none of the sh*t that happens in the movie would happen if it wasn't for his influence.

Finally, (and since I am treating this as an actor rundown) I have to talk about Sammy. Samuel L. "Motherf*cking" Jackson. He should just get his named changed to that at this point. His part is fun, but doesn't really stretch out his skills. It's more of the same. He's got this way of delivering lines that is cool, but volitile at the same itme. I don't say his performance was bad. In fact, it was really quite enjoyable. But there's no reach or anything new in this movie and I kind of see that as a shame in such an actor-centered movie, he doesn't get more meaty and more raw. But there's a reason he was cast in the part. He fit that part very well because it seemed like it was written for him.

This isn't Paul Thomas Anderson's best, but it is a mighty good movie. I might enjoy it more than Magnolia. I'll have to rewatch it and see what I tihink.