Professional gambler Sydney teaches John the tricks of the trade. John does well until he falls for cocktail waitress Clementine.Professional gambler Sydney teaches John the tricks of the trade. John does well until he falls for cocktail waitress Clementine.Professional gambler Sydney teaches John the tricks of the trade. John does well until he falls for cocktail waitress Clementine.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 8 nominations
Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Young Craps Player
- (as Phillip Seymour Hoffman)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman improvised his scenes, including most of the craps scene.
- GoofsAt 30: The craps table that Sydney walks by shows players cheering, but the cover (lid) and count slip are on top. If it were a real game there would be no cover.
Featured review
Hard Eight (1996/Paul Thomas Anderson) ***1/2 out of ****
The camera opens to a diner called "Jack's Coffee Shop". A semi is pulling out of the parking lot. After it pulls away, two people are revealed. A young man sitting by the door with his face to the ground, and an older man who is walking towards him. Even though we can't see his face, we know he is old, just by the way he moves. He asks the young man if he would like some coffee and cigarettes. And this is how Paul Thomas Anderson's first film begins.
"Hard Eight" is about a down and out loser named John (John C. Reilly), who sits outside a diner, until he is encountered by a mysterious old man named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall). Sydney offers him $50, and a lesson in gambling. Before to long, they are in Reno, making lots of money. Then two people get in the way of their friendship: Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a hooker/waitress; and Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), a mischievous security guard who seems to be hiding something.
I never thought that Paul Thomas Anderson could make such a grounded film with substance. His usual films are flashy ensembles, and they move fast. But "Hard Eight" is a different story. It is a slow paced Film Noir, that is both quiet and observant. The cinematography is drab, and the direction is tranquil. Philip Baker Hall and Paltrow turn in good performances. But it is Jackson who really shines. The twist could have been over done, but instead, it is handled nicely and effectively.
"Hard Eight" is by far one of the most interesting character studies of the 90's. I like this cool side of Anderson, and I wish he would use it more often than his usual over the top formula (although I like both). This is no classic, but I found it worth buying.
-30-
The camera opens to a diner called "Jack's Coffee Shop". A semi is pulling out of the parking lot. After it pulls away, two people are revealed. A young man sitting by the door with his face to the ground, and an older man who is walking towards him. Even though we can't see his face, we know he is old, just by the way he moves. He asks the young man if he would like some coffee and cigarettes. And this is how Paul Thomas Anderson's first film begins.
"Hard Eight" is about a down and out loser named John (John C. Reilly), who sits outside a diner, until he is encountered by a mysterious old man named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall). Sydney offers him $50, and a lesson in gambling. Before to long, they are in Reno, making lots of money. Then two people get in the way of their friendship: Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a hooker/waitress; and Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), a mischievous security guard who seems to be hiding something.
I never thought that Paul Thomas Anderson could make such a grounded film with substance. His usual films are flashy ensembles, and they move fast. But "Hard Eight" is a different story. It is a slow paced Film Noir, that is both quiet and observant. The cinematography is drab, and the direction is tranquil. Philip Baker Hall and Paltrow turn in good performances. But it is Jackson who really shines. The twist could have been over done, but instead, it is handled nicely and effectively.
"Hard Eight" is by far one of the most interesting character studies of the 90's. I like this cool side of Anderson, and I wish he would use it more often than his usual over the top formula (although I like both). This is no classic, but I found it worth buying.
-30-
- FranktheRabbit
- Jan 18, 2004
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Sidney. Juego y prostitución
- Filming locations
- Jack's Cafe - 2200 Victorian Avenue, Sparks, Nevada, USA(Jack's Coffee Shop)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $3,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $222,559
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $69,486
- Mar 2, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $223,879
- Runtime1 hour 42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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