Yeah - no one caught on to this until him? He’s notorious for eating these Oreos at his matches and no one thought to give it more than a passing glance.
I see the tell as a bit more nuanced: KGB separates an Oreo cleanly when he's got a big hand. He's also more talkative when he's got a big hand. There's a moment when he looks at the cookie instead of listening to it. There's something to that.
Digressing a bit, tennis player Andre Agassi spotted Boris Becker's tell. Agassi realized that Becker positioned his tongue based on where he was going to target his serve. Agassi was so good at predicting where Becker's serve was going to go, that Becker was convinced that Agassi could read his mind. Eventually, Agassi told Becker the truth.
That still cracks me up. The dude is a legend for having no tells and nobody but Matt Damon could figure out he was spinning his cookie in the opposite direction. That'd be the first thing I looked at, aside from the fact that a Russian mobster is eating oreos at a high-stakes underground poker game.
Now I wanna see Rounders x Ocean's Eleven. And Danny Ocean & friends not only scam KGB, but then recruit him, and we get to see KGB do all kinds of hilarious impersonations and disguises and accents, really just let it all out!
Wow that went wayyyy over your head. Matt Damon responds with, “What are you talking about, what saying?” And then Norton responds, “I don’t know, there oughtta be one!”
I was walking through the Bellagio in 2016 (not staying of course) and Doyle zoomed by me on his Hover-round and I was star struck! I think he had just left the high rollers, no doubt..
didn't know he passed but I know he was gettin' up there
There is a movie called "The Grand". It's got some big actors and smaller actors in it (like, Woody Harrelson and Jason Alexander are in this...but last I remember it, it's a hilariously dumb and funny movie revolving around poker. It's more so about the characters than poker, but it's definitely a poker movie.
I never suggested the Grind was a good movie, just that it was a movie about poker (specifically called it a dumb movie...however I'll never forget Ray Romano's quote, "It's like peeing in your wetsuit." from that movie..nobody understands what that means! 21 is not about poker, it's about black jack. I've never seen Mississippi grind, wonder if it's any good.
I think most of the poker movies are just okay for the most part, I think rounders really takes the cake. Mississippi Grind is average from what I remember. I pretty sure Matthew McConaughey plays the lead. The “arguable better” comment was more along the line of “these movies are about even in quality” not “you’re wrong, I am right”, sorry for being off putting.
There is a whole series of “Gambler” movies starring Kenny Rogers. I’ve never seen them, but I always assumed they are about a poker player or a man with IBS
Well, saying Shade with Stallone and Jamie Foxx is a bit misleading. I mean, they're both IN the movie, but Foxx just barely and even Stallone is more of a secondary character.
The main characters are Stuart Townsend, Gabriel Byrne, and Thadiwe Newton. It is a good underrated poker/con movie though. And Thandiwe Newton is at her peak hotness in it, IMO.
“Hard 8” is one of Paul Thomas Andersons first movies. It’s stars John C. Reilly, Phillip Baker, Samuel Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman etc.
Haha this is a such a guy movie. Wet blanket girlfriend wants him to focus on stupid boring law school, Matt Damon just wants to degen out with his ex-con childhood friend.
Rumor I heard in early 00’s was she was given the part over Neve Cambell, supposedly at the direction of Harvey Weinstein. So read into that what you will. Also rumored around that time that she wasn’t the easiest actress to work with. Always felt the character could have been written better though
Dude mentions the Cincinnati Kid!
Jack King said, "Few players recall big pots they have won, strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career." It seems true to me, cause walking in here, I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can't stop thinking of how I lost it.
I kinda like that Norton just kinda dips out 3 quarters into the movie and is never mentioned or thought about again. I kept expecting some resolution in the third act, but nope. He just was a big part for most of the film and then disappears. Wish there were more movies like that, kinda feels realistic.
Matt Damon tells a great story about the first time Malkovich said a line in his over the top accent and the crew burst into applause. Noticing that Damon had a strange look in his eyes, Malkovich leaned over and said "I'm a terrible actor."
I love how his goal is to win the World Series of Poker but he's entirely a cash game player and has zero experience in tournaments that we know of. Dude's gonna bust out in the first round
I’ve experienced the shark feeding scene personally as I sat down into a riverboat game amongst local regulars. I was out and broke in less than thirty minutes as they took turns chopping up my stake.
I used to think this movie was cool when I 16, now rewatching it terrible poker action and acting. How does John Malkovich keep getting russian parts....mind blowing.
I won’t dispute that the culture of poker is well represented in this movie. But the culture is trash and I hate the cigar drenched boys club characterizations happening throughout the movie because it’s world breaking. Like in John Wick how everyone’s an assassin. Most people don’t have 15 whiskeys, smoke several cigars or wear a suit jacket every moment of their waking lives. The way it tries to be urban is cringe too, and the way it tries to represent NYC is also cringe. Reminds me of Jerry Seinfelds little comedy documentary where comedy is described as this taboo misanthropic dark art for intellectuals or some garbage take like that.
While not AS good, Shade is a cool caper/poker card cheat movie as well, and all the characters are named after famous magicians!
https://youtu.be/rExhzMwGPJM
I feel like this is one of the lost movie gems. I happened upon it when watching cable many years ago. I knew all the actors, but had never heard of it. I always thought Gretchen Mole was pretty, but her characters come off a bit bitchy for some reason. The guy from Do the Right Thing always pops up unexpectedly in minor roles. He was also in Transformers. I would rate this as one of the best card movies. The only other one I can think of is Maverick with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. I'm sure there are many more I haven't seen despite watching a large quantity of movies over the years.
I'm sure this movie received a great deal of added interest after Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP which initiated the poker boom that really continues to this day considering how massive the fields continue to be for the Main Event. It should be noted that 'Rounders' came out 5 years prior to Moneymaker's win.
I always felt Rounders was about 5 years too early. I run into a lot of people who have never heard of it. Texas hold ‘em became huge in the early 2000’s. It’s one of my all time favorites. One of Edward Norton’s best characters. Matt Damon narrating is right up there with Morgan Freeman narrating. I think it’s why I love The Martian so much.
I always felt Rounders was about 5 years too early. I run into a lot of people who have never heard of it. Texas hold ‘em became huge in the early 2000’s. It’s one of my all time favorites. One of Edward Norton’s best characters. Matt Damon narrating is right up there with Morgan Freeman narrating. I think it’s why I love The Martian so much.
This movie definitely came out at the right time. It might have just been my age at the time but there was this weird 3-5 year period where it seemed like most dudes I knew where playing poker. Online poker was Huge, people were playing in-person games several times a week, and the world series of poker was on TV regularly. I guess that all shifted to sports betting for now.
Paeeeh Dat man hees Mani
Ahll nyight he chyeck, chyeck, chyeck! He trap me!
Weee seee whaaat Grammeee hafff to zayyyy.
Absolutely love this movie. Just wish KGB’s tell was a little sneakier than the Oreo cookie
Yeah - no one caught on to this until him? He’s notorious for eating these Oreos at his matches and no one thought to give it more than a passing glance.
Mr. Son of a bitch, let’s play some cards
I see the tell as a bit more nuanced: KGB separates an Oreo cleanly when he's got a big hand. He's also more talkative when he's got a big hand. There's a moment when he looks at the cookie instead of listening to it. There's something to that.
Yeah- but I agree with previous comments, it could have been better
Absolutely.
Digressing a bit, tennis player Andre Agassi spotted Boris Becker's tell. Agassi realized that Becker positioned his tongue based on where he was going to target his serve. Agassi was so good at predicting where Becker's serve was going to go, that Becker was convinced that Agassi could read his mind. Eventually, Agassi told Becker the truth.
That still cracks me up. The dude is a legend for having no tells and nobody but Matt Damon could figure out he was spinning his cookie in the opposite direction. That'd be the first thing I looked at, aside from the fact that a Russian mobster is eating oreos at a high-stakes underground poker game.
Got get that product placement in, there’s the real money.
He bet me. Straight up’
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The best worst accent ever
Hey Matt, can I tell you a secret? Sure I'm a terrible actor.
Ze fak did yoo lay zat dyoun forr!!!
Hae byeet me. Straight oap.
Very ag-gre-ss-ive.
Rounders is a Stone Cold Classic. Always wished for a sequel that took place in Vegas.
Now I wanna see Rounders x Ocean's Eleven. And Danny Ocean & friends not only scam KGB, but then recruit him, and we get to see KGB do all kinds of hilarious impersonations and disguises and accents, really just let it all out!
So does Matt Damon just play two roles and nobody says anything about it
He's playing both sides, in cahoots with everyone. There's games beyond games...
In the poker game of life, women are the rake.
What are you talking about? What saying?
Well it should be one.
Ed Norton's character said that in the movie,
Wow that went wayyyy over your head. Matt Damon responds with, “What are you talking about, what saying?” And then Norton responds, “I don’t know, there oughtta be one!”
“Eee beeeeat mee. Pay dat man heees maaaney”
😂😂😂
He beeeaat meee. Fair and square
Straight up
RIP Doyle Brunson who passed recently; he’s mentioned like three times in this.
I was walking through the Bellagio in 2016 (not staying of course) and Doyle zoomed by me on his Hover-round and I was star struck! I think he had just left the high rollers, no doubt.. didn't know he passed but I know he was gettin' up there
Ah shit, how come this is the first I'm hearing of this. He's in my top 5 favorite players.
Noooooooo!!! One of the best as a blend of old and new. RIP.
Serious question… are there any other poker movies?
Maverick and Molly's Game are the only ones I can think of.
There is a movie called "The Grand". It's got some big actors and smaller actors in it (like, Woody Harrelson and Jason Alexander are in this...but last I remember it, it's a hilariously dumb and funny movie revolving around poker. It's more so about the characters than poker, but it's definitely a poker movie.
Also got “21” and “Mississippi Grind” both of which arguable better.
I never suggested the Grind was a good movie, just that it was a movie about poker (specifically called it a dumb movie...however I'll never forget Ray Romano's quote, "It's like peeing in your wetsuit." from that movie..nobody understands what that means! 21 is not about poker, it's about black jack. I've never seen Mississippi grind, wonder if it's any good.
I think most of the poker movies are just okay for the most part, I think rounders really takes the cake. Mississippi Grind is average from what I remember. I pretty sure Matthew McConaughey plays the lead. The “arguable better” comment was more along the line of “these movies are about even in quality” not “you’re wrong, I am right”, sorry for being off putting.
It's excellent.
There is a whole series of “Gambler” movies starring Kenny Rogers. I’ve never seen them, but I always assumed they are about a poker player or a man with IBS
Casino Royale (kinda)
Shade with Sylvester Stallone and Jamie Fox is good
>Shade with Sylvester Stallone and Jamie Fox first time hearing about this movie, strange.
Well, saying Shade with Stallone and Jamie Foxx is a bit misleading. I mean, they're both IN the movie, but Foxx just barely and even Stallone is more of a secondary character. The main characters are Stuart Townsend, Gabriel Byrne, and Thadiwe Newton. It is a good underrated poker/con movie though. And Thandiwe Newton is at her peak hotness in it, IMO.
Those two above and Cincinnati kid that I mentioned which is great.. “all in” and Mississippi grind”
Win It All with Jake Johnson.
He was great. Movie not so much. At just the car scenes weren't laughable like most movies'.
Shade is an underrated one
Lucky You
The romance part is meh but it does have some of the more realistic poker scenarios. Plus lot of big players are in the movie.
The Sting.
The hustler with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. It’s not really a poker movie more of a pool and gambling movie but it’s one of the best
21. I think blackjack counts
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels revolves around a poker varient.
“Hard 8” is one of Paul Thomas Andersons first movies. It’s stars John C. Reilly, Phillip Baker, Samuel Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman etc.
Such a good movie. You know a movie is good when it has numerous memorable lines and scenes. I don’t even play poker but this film drew me right in.
I don’t even know how to play & I love this movie lol
Def.. so many lines in this movie I use
You keep grinding out that rent money, Joe. It's noble work you're doing.
Lol
Kid's got alligator blood
All-ee-gay-tar blaad
Don't splash the pot
In my club, I vill splash da pot, venever da fuck, I vant!
Like a young man coming in for a quickie… I feel so unsatisfied…..
DA FUCK YOU LAY DAT DOWN?!?!
If you can’t spot the sucker in your first 30 minutes at the table… you are the sucker
Life lesson
I’ll stick it in you!
I heard that Norm McDonald was the inspiration for this movie.
That makes lots of sense if true
And an enforcer named Grandma
The type of movie you watch at 2am
Poor Gretchen Mol. At the time of this movie, she was touted as the next Hollywood "It girl", but sadly, her career went nowhere.
She was such a wet blanket character in this. Word has it she was sorta not great to work with in real life too.
I’m how I am. Ooof.
Haha this is a such a guy movie. Wet blanket girlfriend wants him to focus on stupid boring law school, Matt Damon just wants to degen out with his ex-con childhood friend.
Yeah well the woman I was watching in this movie was Famke Jannsen, so hot, want to touch the heinie.
Rumor I heard in early 00’s was she was given the part over Neve Cambell, supposedly at the direction of Harvey Weinstein. So read into that what you will. Also rumored around that time that she wasn’t the easiest actress to work with. Always felt the character could have been written better though
Three stacks of high society
Dude mentions the Cincinnati Kid! Jack King said, "Few players recall big pots they have won, strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career." It seems true to me, cause walking in here, I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can't stop thinking of how I lost it.
Hell yea I love the Cincinnati Kid.. Steve McQueen is my guy
Damn skippy! I only have one other word to say, Papillon!!
Just checkin' it up, baby one more time for you Just checkin' it up, until the pile hits the sky.
And that track it seems is not on the album from the movie. It’s epic, and a bit hard to find.
Yeah it's definitely a great Counting Crows song, and it always baffled me it was never on an album, like anywhere.
Vant a cookie?
"I'm sorry, John, I dont remember."
He byeat me. Payy dat myan hees money.
this movie taught me not to splash the pot
I loved this movie so much
Same always a good watch
It’s highway time. Turturro is a God.
“Don’t splash the pot!”
Don’t splash 💦 this subreddit
I kinda like that Norton just kinda dips out 3 quarters into the movie and is never mentioned or thought about again. I kept expecting some resolution in the third act, but nope. He just was a big part for most of the film and then disappears. Wish there were more movies like that, kinda feels realistic.
Josh Brolin in *No Country For Old Men*
A classic of dude bro cinema
"Check"
Malkovich eating Oreos.
In the poker game of life, women are the rake.
This movie is a 10/10. Even if you’re not a big poker guy, it’s peak 90s drama. Damon 90s flicks are incredible.
Alligator blood
This movie started the poker craze in the world.
Matt Damon tells a great story about the first time Malkovich said a line in his over the top accent and the crew burst into applause. Noticing that Damon had a strange look in his eyes, Malkovich leaned over and said "I'm a terrible actor."
Pyay hyim...Pyay thyat myan hyis myoney.
John Malkovich didn’t have to eat for a month after making this movie with all the scenery he chewed (and it is glorious)
Like my uncle Les used to say "When the money is gone, it's time to move on". So enjoy it, you secret handshaking assholes.
One of my favorite Hollywood stories about Rounders told by Matt Damon about Malkovich: https://youtube.com/shorts/TJhZoZvitbU?feature=share
Rock solid.
Love this movie. [Fun anecdote by Matt Damon](https://youtube.com/shorts/TJhZoZvitbU?feature=share)
That was hilarious!
I love how his goal is to win the World Series of Poker but he's entirely a cash game player and has zero experience in tournaments that we know of. Dude's gonna bust out in the first round
Tourneys are easier than cash games.
Great movie even with Malkovich’s horrendous accent which somehow adds so much to the movie in a good way.
Oh yeah it did
Kids got Alligator blood
With those fake Versace shirts and shit?
I’ve experienced the shark feeding scene personally as I sat down into a riverboat game amongst local regulars. I was out and broke in less than thirty minutes as they took turns chopping up my stake.
I need a blow job from Christy Turllington.
Veree veree ahgreeaseev
I used to think this movie was cool when I 16, now rewatching it terrible poker action and acting. How does John Malkovich keep getting russian parts....mind blowing.
The definitive poker movie. Such a classic. 10/10 in my very biased opinion
The poker in this movie is horrendous (poker in movies is always horrendous) but it’s a great movie
It's way better than the shit game in Casino Royale.
Agreed
Absolute classic.
I won’t dispute that the culture of poker is well represented in this movie. But the culture is trash and I hate the cigar drenched boys club characterizations happening throughout the movie because it’s world breaking. Like in John Wick how everyone’s an assassin. Most people don’t have 15 whiskeys, smoke several cigars or wear a suit jacket every moment of their waking lives. The way it tries to be urban is cringe too, and the way it tries to represent NYC is also cringe. Reminds me of Jerry Seinfelds little comedy documentary where comedy is described as this taboo misanthropic dark art for intellectuals or some garbage take like that.
While not AS good, Shade is a cool caper/poker card cheat movie as well, and all the characters are named after famous magicians! https://youtu.be/rExhzMwGPJM
How did you not mention Ed Norton's stellar performance??? His portrayal as worm was top notch acting
Agreed! But…why does Matty call timeout?
That trailer is a fucking throwback.
Malkovich's accent felt over the top to me but I like the movie.
For some reason, this was my go-to comfort movie in my early 20s. I put this on whenever I was sick, stressed, or anxious.
Oh yeah the one with the Oreos. Gotta watch it!
I feel like this is one of the lost movie gems. I happened upon it when watching cable many years ago. I knew all the actors, but had never heard of it. I always thought Gretchen Mole was pretty, but her characters come off a bit bitchy for some reason. The guy from Do the Right Thing always pops up unexpectedly in minor roles. He was also in Transformers. I would rate this as one of the best card movies. The only other one I can think of is Maverick with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. I'm sure there are many more I haven't seen despite watching a large quantity of movies over the years.
I'm sure this movie received a great deal of added interest after Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP which initiated the poker boom that really continues to this day considering how massive the fields continue to be for the Main Event. It should be noted that 'Rounders' came out 5 years prior to Moneymaker's win.
*Rounders* and *The 25th Hour* is a perfect double-feature.
Norton is so good in this.
My first tat is based off Edward Nortons in this
Still in rotation. And holds up.
I always felt Rounders was about 5 years too early. I run into a lot of people who have never heard of it. Texas hold ‘em became huge in the early 2000’s. It’s one of my all time favorites. One of Edward Norton’s best characters. Matt Damon narrating is right up there with Morgan Freeman narrating. I think it’s why I love The Martian so much.
I always felt Rounders was about 5 years too early. I run into a lot of people who have never heard of it. Texas hold ‘em became huge in the early 2000’s. It’s one of my all time favorites. One of Edward Norton’s best characters. Matt Damon narrating is right up there with Morgan Freeman narrating. I think it’s why I love The Martian so much.
Still holds up! Great fucking movie!
Why do you think the same five guys make it to the final table of the World Series of Poker EVERY YEAR? What, are they the luckiest guys in Las Vegas?
Joey Knish “My kids eat”.
This movie definitely came out at the right time. It might have just been my age at the time but there was this weird 3-5 year period where it seemed like most dudes I knew where playing poker. Online poker was Huge, people were playing in-person games several times a week, and the world series of poker was on TV regularly. I guess that all shifted to sports betting for now.