Must See Poker Movies
There are probably hundreds of “poker movies or poker scenes” that have been used for dramatic effect. After all, poker has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Cal Casino Club has reviewed and compiled what we believe are the greatest poker films/scenes ever made. Like any list of this nature, it is somewhat subjective, and you may or may not agree with some of the recommendations, but we are sure there are at least a few that are of interest.
Cal Casino Club’s Top 10 Poker Movies
1. Rounders
Year: 1998
Director: John Dahl
Box office: $23 million
Synopsis:
The story follows Matt Damon’s character Mike McDermott, who loses his whole life savings to Russian criminal Teddy KGB during a game of Texas Hold’em (John Malkovich). Mike teams up with his longtime friend and fellow ex-con Worm (Edward Norton) to hustle exclusive poker games and tournaments along the East Coast after his girlfriend leaves him after he loses. Mike is looking to massively exact revenge on Teddy KGB as he rebuilds his stack.
2. Molly’s Game
Year: 2017
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Box office: $59.3 million
Synopsis:
Molly Bloom in the realistic crime drama “Molly’s Game,” which is based on the memoir of its title character. After a horrible accident puts an end to her Olympic skiing vacation, Bloom changes careers and ends up creating an underground poker business that is eventually discovered and the subject of an FBI inquiry.
3. The Cincinnati Kid
Year: 1965
Director: Norman Jewison
Box office: $7 million
Synopsis:
Steve McQueen plays Eric “The Kid” Stoner in “The Cincinnati Kid,” a rising New Orleans-born poker player during the Great Depression who wears his arrogance with pride. Stoner sees the arrival of Lancey “The Man” Howard (Edward G. Robinson) as an opportunity to overthrow him. Five-card stud is played between them, starting with six players, and culminating in a confrontation between the Kid and the Man. One of the most well-known and much contested situations in poker movie history is the last hand.
4. Maverick
Year: 1994
Director: Richard Donner
Box office: $158 million
Synopsis:
The fact that “Maverick” is an outrageous Western comedy is what makes it so popular. James Garner, co-stars in the 1994 movie with Mel Gibson as the card shark and con artist Bret Maverick and Jodie Foster as a young con artist named Annabelle Bransford. Despite the numerous adventures that follow, the film’s primary plot revolves around a poker game that Maverick and Bransford are both competing to win.
5. California Split
Year: 1974
Director: Robert Altman
Box office: $5 million
Synopsis:
“California Split” is more than just a movie about poker; it’s also a movie about addiction and friendship. Elliott Gould and George Segal play two gamblers who become friends in the movie. The two share their considerable winnings after a crazy voyage that starts with Bill Denny (Segal) winning big at poker before parting ways.
6. Casino
Year: 1995
Director: Martin Scorsese
Box office: $116 million
Synopsis:
Low-level mobster Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is chosen by his masters to run the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas in the early 1970s. Sam is initially quite successful in his work, but over time, issues with his loose-cannon enforcer Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), his former hustler wife Ginger (Sharon Stone), her con artist ex Lester Diamond (James Woods), and a few dishonest politicians put Sam in jeopardy.
7. The Sting
Year: 1973
Director: George Roy Hill
Box office: $159 million
Synopsis:
To take revenge on the vicious crime boss Doyle Lonnegan following the murder of a mutual acquaintance, aspiring con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) links up with veteran con man Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) (Robert Shaw). Hooker and Gondorff start working on a complex plan, one that is so cunning that Lonnegan won’t even be aware of the scam. However, as their huge con plays out, things don’t go as expected, necessitating some last-minute improvisation by the unfazed pair.
8. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
Year: 2003
Director: A.W. Vidmer
Box office: $160 million
Synopsis:
In this true-life story-based movie, Michael Imperioli’s character, Stuey Ungar, goes from being a young card prodigy to a well-known gambling celebrity. Early on, Stuey finds gambling to be enjoyable, but his compulsive behaviors leave him in debt to the gang. A second chance is provided by Vincent (Michael Nouri), a gangster with a familial link, in the shape of a Las Vegas rummy tournament. Stuey succeeds and embarks on a successful poker career, but success also brings a problematic lifestyle marked by addiction and excess.
9. Mississippi Grind
Year: 2015
Director: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Box office: $422,746 million
Synopsis:
A gambling addict (Ben Mendelsohn) convinces his new friend (Ryan Reynolds) that he is a lucky charm and drives him to a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans.
10. 21
Year: 2008
Director: Robert Luketic
Box office: $159.8 million
Synopsis:
Brilliant Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) needs some quick money to cover his tuition costs. He joins a team of students working under the unconventional Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) to utilize math to win big in Las Vegas. When Ben runs into casino enforcer Cole Williams, who is seduced by a gorgeous teammate (Kate Bosworth) and a lot of money, he discovers that the stakes are higher than he ever thought (Laurence Fishburne).
