When good luck is a long shot, you have to hedge your bets.|Feb. 28, 1997|United States|102 Min.|R
Genre: Crime;Drama
Description: Hard Eight is a 1997 film that tells the story of Sydney, a well-dressed and experienced gambler, who encounters John, a homeless man sitting outside a diner in Sparks, Nevada. After offering him a cigarette and coffee, Sydney learns that John lost money in Vegas and needs $6,000 for his mother’s funeral. Sydney takes John to Las Vegas and helps him win the required amount.
Two years later, John becomes Sydney’s protégé, and their bond grows stronger. Sydney acts as a father figure to John, who is less sophisticated but eager to learn. John befriends Jimmy, a security worker, and develops an attraction to Clementine, a cocktail waitress in Reno. Sydney discovers that Clementine also works as a prostitute and tries to encourage a connection between her and John. He asks John to show her around town.
However, the situation takes a turn when Sydney receives a frantic call from a motel. He finds John and Clementine holding a tourist hostage after Clementine’s client refused to pay her $300. John reveals they impulsively got married, and Clementine had sought revenge by prostituting herself to the tourist. Sydney intervenes, calming the situation and advising the couple to leave town for their honeymoon. He ensures all evidence is removed from the motel room.
Later, Sydney meets with Jimmy, who reveals he knows Sydney’s dark past—specifically, that Sydney allegedly killed John’s father in Atlantic City. Jimmy threatens to expose this secret unless Sydney pays him $10,000. Sydney claims he doesn’t have the full amount but offers $6,000 in cash instead.
The film explores themes of mentorship, trust, and the consequences of past actions, weaving a complex narrative around its characters.
Cast director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast actor: Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, F. William Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Melora Walters, Robert Ridgely, Nathanael Cooper, Wynn White
Original name: Hard Eight