I think making a movie about someone that actually lived and hustled pool, in other words a real life character,
would result in a film that better connects with viewers generally but especially with pool aficionados & devotees.
There’s always going to be fictionalization in any storyline since the film wasn’t intended to be autobiographical.
However, it allows the film writers to introduce & imagine how other notable figures in pool lore actually behaved.
There was a movie made named Lawless. Tom Hardy, Shia Le Bouef, Guy Pearce, & Gary Oldman were the male
stars. It was a periodic piece reflective of Prohibition and moon shiners. This is the time period for a pool movie.
If you made a film set in that time period, America would welcome it with open arms and hearts. For some reason,
the period between WWI and WW II has added fascination & interest. Maybe it was because of gangsters & bad boys.
Anyway, Shia Le Bouef in that film was the ideal age for a lead character in a new movie about pool back in the 30’s.
I’m not sure who should be the lead actors but I believe a movie theme set in that time period would be well received.