Although this is ostensibly a film about the lives of guys who live for the game, they could be playing with paper dolls for all the heart they seem to have invested. With a cast that surely could have come together to make an entertaining or thoughtful film, the talent just can't save the lame screenplay. Mercifully, its 94 minutes does not drag out the tedium any longer. This feels and looks like a big in-joke for the cast and while they probably had fun making it, it provides little involvement for the viewer. Exhibiting nothing remotely like the scenes in Casino that gave a genuine feel for the pulse of a Vegas casino, nor like The Hustler, with the soul of pool shark Eddie Felson laid bare, this film doesn't know where it's going and so goes nowhere. Granted, that is some stiff competition and not too many movies would hold up to the comparison, still, it feels like a squandered opportunity. Walken and Palminteri provide what little chemistry there is but we might as well be watching out takes. Lacking is the passion or any flavor for what the life of a modern day pool hustler is really like.

With a glimpse of what seems to be the World Trade Center in the background at the cliched rich lawyer's party, and this being the late Rod Steiger's final film, I'm speculating that this was shot a couple of years ago. Perhaps what followed in the editing room were some efforts to carve it into a coherent, finished film. However, it never quite takes shape.

Mars Callahan (a k a Gregory Mars Martin), who directed and is on-screen constantly in almost every scene, doesn't get billing in the promos for the movie. Not a good sign. As it wears on, what we get is a bunch of buddies blundering their way through and trying to fake it, but it just don't make it. There is too much that simply lacks genuineness to pull off the lighter tone that may have been intended. The scenes that sort of work, like Walken's pep talk in the form of a king-of-the-jungle story to John before the high stakes match, falls flat for lack of an effective build up. What should feel like a climax, instead feels contrived and without suspense. No surprise when the millionaire shows up with an unlikely, unlimited stash of cash to bet against the bad guy. Not much tension there. What is in abundance is every manner of hustle and trick to outwit the other guy. Lots of pawnshops, pawned cars and fat rolls of $100 dollar bills. We just don't care who wins. Although there are a few real life pool pros (Mike Massey, as St. Louie Louie) on hand to do some trick shots, the camera fails to capture much pizzazz of the action on the pool table. It stays too far away from the tough shots to dazzle and too close to the felt to get a feel for the set-ups.