Poker Night (2014)
Matt Boiselle
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Starring Ron Perlman, Giancarlo Esposito, Ron Eldard, Beau Mirchoff
Directed by Greg Francis
Distributed by XLRator Media
There’s just no substitute for a solidly formulated crime drama with fast-paced action and a story ripe with twists and turns, all backed up by a stellar cast that you’d swear could pass for actual grizzled cops. Director Greg Francis, whose previous projects have all been crafted for television, jumps into the feature film fellowship with a presentation that will most assuredly cement his place as one bad-ass crime drama kingpin.
The movie brings together some true screen heavyweights, including jack-of-all roles Ron Perlman in the part of Detective Calabrese: a man amongst many law enforcement sleuths who organize a weekly poker game that not only showcases some of the attitudes that have gotten them through some severely tough moments over the years, but also allows the group to spin personal stories that act as a training tool for the newest inductee, Jeter (Beau Mirchoff), an overzealous (and slightly cocky) participant in the fight against crime. His methods could best be described as intractable; yet, he is put firmly in his place at the table when he is dealt in.
Among the game’s attendees we have Bernard (Giancarlo Esposito), Cunningham (Ron Eldard), Davis (Corey Large), and Maxwell (Titus Welliver): an absolutely MISERABLE long-standing member of the force who doesn’t particularly care for newbies. Their tales are graphic, humorous and extremely informative in the direction of Jeter, who implants himself into each individual flashback – every narration will assist him with the trauma he is about to experience.
You see, Jeter and his latest squeeze, Amy (Halston Sage), are brutally attacked and abducted after leaving a poker game one night and stuffed away in a makeshift dungeon that reeks of a Jigsaw stronghold. They’re mentally and physically tortured by a captor wearing a mask that would make him the perfect substitute for a Slipknot on-stage performance. His motives are unknown; however, he is very creative when it comes to extracting information and escapism (think Krazy Glue). The scenes of imprisonment are tense and driven to plausibility by Mirchoff’s work – the guy can play the brash, self-important badge, while conveying fear and consternation as the hapless victim on the flipside. What he needs to do is to apply all of what he’s soaked in by sitting at the big boys’ table during those smoky, booze-ridden card games, combine it with his fundamental instincts to save his lady, and unmask the person responsible for this heinous and unlawful series of acts.
Now that I think back, I really can’t pin one bad performance on anyone – each respective actor gives his all to bring an air of dissatisfaction when mentioning his job but remain the type that would be completely lost without it. Aside from a few slight instances that could be looked at as far-fetched, the film speeds along, even with lots of dialogue, and the interwoven separate stories blend together well to drive home a conclusion that could be seen as misleading. Poker Night wraps everything up in a nice, tight package and drops it off on the doorstep for the masses to enjoy. This one’s simply gotta be seen.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
