Paul Thomas Anderson achieved critical and financial success with his brilliant look into the 70's porn era with "Boogie Nights." A few years later, some, including myself, would argue that he actually topped that effort with his three hour long, incredibly emotional character study, "Magnolia." Both of these films made my list of the best twenty films of the 90s. While most film audiences only know Anderson by these two epic creations, he actually emerged onto the scene as a writer / director one year prior to the release of "Boogie Nights." In 1996, P.T. Anderson released his much lower key and lower budget character study and film noir rolled into one, "Hard Eight."
On the commentary track to "Hard Eight," P.T. tells about how he likes to set two people in a coffee shop, let them talk, and a story will inevitably emerge. This scenario is exactly how he opens "Hard Eight." Sydney (Philip Baker Hall - "Magnolia," "Boogie Nights") casually walks up to a coffee shop where, outside the door, John (John C. Reilly - "Magnolia," "Boogie Nights") is sitting alone. Sydney asks John to come inside where he will buy John a cup of coffee and talk with him. John is naturally surprised that a stranger would offer to do this, but he eventually obliges, and the two of them sit down for coffee.
Sydney asks John what kind of trouble he is into. John confesses that he needed six thousand dollars to bury his mother. So he took what little he had, headed to Vegas, and proceeded to lose it all. Unsure of just how generous this stranger will be towards him, John asks Sydney for the six thousand dollars. While Sydney denies him the hefty sum, he does offer to take John back to Vegas, give him fifty dollars, and teach him how to earn the money there. The two of them then proceed to Vegas where Sydney, a long time gambler who actually earns his living in the casinos, instructs John on how to build up a rate card and get a free room and meals by doing so. The plan works, and with a little luck, John is settled in.
Flash forward two years later when Sydney and John remain friends who earn their keep around the casinos in Vegas. John introduces Sydney to Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson - "A Time to Kill," "Pulp Fiction"), who Sydney suspiciously immediately dislikes. Clementine (Gwenyth Paltrow - "Shakespeare in Love," "Duets") a waitress who doubles as a prostitute, soon enters the picture when Sydney demonstrates a similar kindness towards her as he did towards John. At this point in the picture, we have seen a very unique and stylish set up, but one that does not seem to be going anywhere. Believe me, P.T. Anderson has some tricks up his sleeve for the second half of the film.
"Hard Eight" is very much unlike P.T.'s two well known films, "Magnolia" and "Boogie Nights." Unlike his two masterpieces, "Hard Eight" utilizes a very small cast and works on a drastically smaller scale. It is about half the length of "Magnolia," and it only packs about a tenth of the storyline as "Magnolia" contains. While it is not in the same league as his other works, "Hard Eight" is certainly worthy of at least one viewing.
As has become his calling card, P.T.'s script is indelible and absolutely flawless. Even though the viewer is left much in the dark for more than half of the story, everything comes together by the end, and it becomes clear that not a single line of dialogue is wasted. Like every cast he has assembled so far, this one works perfectly.
P.T. makes it known in interviews and on commentary tracks that his favorite actor is Philip Baker Hall. With the performance that he gives here, Hall proves why he is held to such acclaim by P.T. and many others. His persona perfectly fits the complicated character of Sydney, around whom the story is based, and he plays him flawlessly in each and every scene. Reilly, another P.T. favorite, is just as good in a character that I do not believe many actors could have so tactfully handled. The two supporting players, Jackson and Paltrow, also deliver incredible performances that rank near the best of their very respectable careers.
While basically every aspect of "Hard Eight" is skillfully done, there is just not enough meat to the story to really push the film over the top, into the ranks of P.T.'s other works. Nonetheless, it certainly deserves a strong recommendation, and with a very well-orchestrated DVD special edition, P.T.'s debut film has found a home on my shelf.
8 out of 10
Rated R for language and some violence and sexuality
DVD extras: Well before P.T.'s double disc special editions of "Magnolia" and "Boogie Nights" appeared on DVD, "Hard Eight" was assembled nicely for the new format. Included with the widescreen and standard formats of the film are one deleted scene, two audio commentaries that invoke the talents of Anderson, some cast members, and more, and a little something special to boot. This unusual bonus is the inclusion of rough cuts of three test scenes filmed at the Sundance lab. While I do not understand the exact technicalities of these scenes, they certainly make for a nice bonus on top of an already outstanding presentation on DVD.
Sydney (Philip Baker Hall, Kiss Of Death) is a deadpan professional gambler who operates in the twilight casino world of Reno. He takes John (John C. ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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