New pool movie or maybe movie with pool in it

bradsh98 said:
Has anyone here watched this film yet?

I spent a few bucks to rent it. Figured I'd share my review:

If you are looking for a movie with heavy pool content, this movie is not for you.
If you are looking for a movie with a decent love story, this movie is not for you.
If you are looking for a movie with a reasonable story line, this movie is not for you.

In fact, I would have to guess that anyone who feels that this movie is actually worth watching, was likely deceived by the trailer, which is truly the best part of the whole movie...

To recap the film (Spoiler Alert! - but probably not....):

A junkie pool playing con man with musical aspirations finds himself at the Tumble Inn, in a small town with several billiard clubs. After "hustling" all of the smaller establishments across town (in one day), he learns of a 40 person tournament, with a $100 buy-in, starting at 7:00PM.

He heads to the tournament on day 2 of his visit, where he promptly finds himself in the finals of the single elimination event. Continuing his "hustle", his seedy opponent asks him to bet an additional $2000 on the outcome of the finals.

After leaving the pool hall with his $5000 in winnings, he heads back to the Tumble Inn, where he looks in the newspaper for some female companionship. Naturally, he sees an ad that, interestingly enough, turns out to be his former high school sweetheart. He calls. She shows. They drink, talk, dance, snort a HUGE bag of cocaine (purchased from the liquor store) for what would seem to be several hours, then a very friendly police officer shows up for a noise complaint. After the fun-loving officer reluctantly returns to work, the "hustler" and his lady decide to go out to a bar for a while.


Probably the most interesting aspect of the whole film is that it is largely centered around one single night.. One incredibly long night.... That was really all that I could think about... He snapped off a 40 person tournament, went to the liquor store after, partied with a prostitute for hours, went out to a bar after, got into a fight, was saved by his lady's pimp/boyfriend (who was then 'mistakenly' shot by the friendly officer), was fixed up in an ambulance and gave a police report, then went back to the hotel to party (with the prostitute, bar tender, bar friends, the officer, and the hotel manager) until sunrise...


If this film doesn't win an Oscar, I'll be really disappointed.
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Sounds very plausible. I guess you've never been snowblind?

Lol.
 
bradsh98 said:
Has anyone here watched this film yet?

I spent a few bucks to rent it. Figured I'd share my review:

If you are looking for a movie with heavy pool content, this movie is not for you.
If you are looking for a movie with a decent love story, this movie is not for you.
If you are looking for a movie with a reasonable story line, this movie is not for you.

In fact, I would have to guess that anyone who feels that this movie is actually worth watching, was likely deceived by the trailer, which is truly the best part of the whole movie...

To recap the film (Spoiler Alert! - but probably not....):

A junkie pool playing con man with musical aspirations finds himself at the Tumble Inn, in a small town with several billiard clubs. After "hustling" all of the smaller establishments across town (in one day), he learns of a 40 person tournament, with a $100 buy-in, starting at 7:00PM.

He heads to the tournament on day 2 of his visit, where he promptly finds himself in the finals of the single elimination event. Continuing his "hustle", his seedy opponent asks him to bet an additional $2000 on the outcome of the finals.

After leaving the pool hall with his $5000 in winnings, he heads back to the Tumble Inn, where he looks in the newspaper for some female companionship. Naturally, he sees an ad that, interestingly enough, turns out to be his former high school sweetheart. He calls. She shows. They drink, talk, dance, snort a HUGE bag of cocaine (purchased from the liquor store) for what would seem to be several hours, then a very friendly police officer shows up for a noise complaint. After the fun-loving officer reluctantly returns to work, the "hustler" and his lady decide to go out to a bar for a while.


Probably the most interesting aspect of the whole film is that it is largely centered around one single night.. One incredibly long night.... That was really all that I could think about... He snapped off a 40 person tournament, went to the liquor store after, partied with a prostitute for hours, went out to a bar after, got into a fight, was saved by his lady's pimp/boyfriend (who was then 'mistakenly' shot by the friendly officer), was fixed up in an ambulance and gave a police report, then went back to the hotel to party (with the prostitute, bar tender, bar friends, the officer, and the hotel manager) until sunrise...


If this film doesn't win an Oscar, I'll be really disappointed.
Click to expand...
That sums up the image of pool and pool players. The only things missing are a trailer park and job sweeping floors at Walmart.
 
Brookeland Bill said:
Earl Strickland’s story would be interesting.
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Most of us here have probably seen this:

This is also worth watching:
vimeo.com

Watch Earl Strickland - Road Stories 2 Online | Vimeo On Demand

Earl has led a storied life full of experiences you just are not going to accumulate unless you have done things like win a few U.S. Open Nine Ball Championships.…
vimeo.com vimeo.com

As much as I cringe when he acts the fool in matches, Away from the table he comes across as a super likeable, if eccentric, guy.

Here's a nice piece from NYT:
www.nytimes.com

Big Fish, Small Pool (Published 2014)

Earl Strickland, who has won a slew of national and world pool titles, has been called the “Michael Jordan of pool.” He described himself as the mascot of a tiny pool hall in Queens.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Some of his antics are really hard to watch but if you can get past that he is a super compelling character. I would probably rather see a documentary than a biopic, I don't think the biopic would lose more by having actors than it would gain by not having to rely on archival footage. I mainly don't trust Hollywood to recognize that Earl's story and character are compelling and any inaccuracy would probably lose more than it gains. Then again, I loved both Lords of Dogtown and Dogtown and Z-Boys, so it can be done. I don't know how many people would be interested in a pool player movie but, if it was done well I bet damn few wouldn't enjoy it thoroughly. There was supposed to be a Kid Delicious movie but it never got off the ground.
 
I've said it before...and I'll keep on saying it. Ralph Greenleaf biopic would win all the Oscars. It has everything, roaring 20s, his wife is a Ziegfield folly, he's making $2,000 a week just doing exhibitions, he's the top of the game for almost two decades, as well known as Babe Ruth, and then he falls...HARD. The time frame, backdrop, story, it's as compelling as it can be; and someone doesn't have to be a pool fanatic to get it.
 
When he was young in about 1986 he and I met. He knew of me and my game and asked what I would do to make the sport greater. I said pull a Jimi Hendrix and his eyes went 2 shades brighter and he's laughing and then asked what the hell you talking about. Go to England like Jimi did, but instead of playing the blues , the enter the snooker tournaments and beat them at their own sport. Those players are making money that we only dream of. Sorta Ashamed now I ever metioned it to him after all these years. Earls got heart folks and always has.
 
West Point 1987 said:
I've said it before...and I'll keep on saying it. Ralph Greenleaf biopic would win all the Oscars. It has everything, roaring 20s, his wife is a Ziegfield folly, he's making $2,000 a week just doing exhibitions, he's the top of the game for almost two decades, as well known as Babe Ruth, and then he falls...HARD. The time frame, backdrop, story, it's as compelling as it can be; and someone doesn't have to be a pool fanatic to get it.
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Agreed. I wanna see the Greenleaf story, probably from the perspective of his wife would do better.

But nobody wants to see a story about a strong woman with conviction. Today it is all about 'oh no...imma be mines own'.
 
tomatoshooter said:
Set his cue on fire and then smash it? Seems a little more appropriate for an outdoor concert than a tournament in a casino but what the hell, you only live once. I'm packing lighter fluid in my case.
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No what I was relaying, go to England and make all the top guns in snooker shake in their boots, like Jimi did to Clapton and Townsend. Earl might have pulled that off.
 
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