All In: The Poker Movie may be a documentary by definition, but it gives off a vibe of a proper movie, with a story that continues to develop up to the point of infamous Black Friday. What’s really interesting is that, although the movie was originally released in 2009, there was a re-release in 2012, with a part covering the events of Black Friday added to the end.
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of poker, starting from the earliest days of the game, or you simply love hearing these stories even if you’ve heard most of them before, you’ll enjoy All In. It does a surprisingly good job of keeping your attention and drawing you in.
Of course, with the film now over a decade old, you won’t come across many new facts or details. It is, for the most part, a good recap of poker’s immense rise in popularity and various obstacles it continues to face on this path.
The story is told by many people connected to the industry in one way or another. There are players themselves, casino employees, media representatives, famous personalities from other walks of life, historians, politicians, and more.
Their unique views contribute to the whole story, creating a well-rounded picture of where poker came from, how it developed over decades, what caused the poker boom of the 2000s, and how Black Friday created a huge mess and influenced the lives of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people.
Core All In: The Poker Movie Details & Rating
- Title: All In: The Poker Movie
- Year: 2009 (2012 re-release)
- Director: Douglas Tirola
- Main Cast: Phil Hellmuth, Amarillo Slim, Chris Moneymaker, Matt Damon, Daniel Negreanu, Chris Ferguson, Mike Sexton, Annie Duke
- Genre: Documentary
- Duration: 109 min.
- Overall Score: 9/10
| Criteria | Score (1-10) | Reviewer note |
| Poker Realism | 10/10 | This is a very solid documentary that tells the story of poker as it happened. |
| Story & Writing | 8/10 | Surprisingly fun and engaging for a poker documentary. |
| Acting & Characters | 10/10 | Not much acting here, but players and personalities appearing in the film feel true to their characters. |
| Poker Excitement Factor | 9/10 | The movie covers some of the most exciting and relevant stories that had a significant impact on the poker world. |
| Entertainment value | 9/10 | A fun throwback to poker history from several different angles. |
What We Loved About the Movie
Whether you’re a long-time fan of the game or someone just getting acquainted with poker, there is so much to love about this poker movie.
First of all, it offers a really great backstory of where the game of poker started, how it slowly became one of the favorite pastimes in the US (even if it was only played casually and for small stakes), and how poker eventually managed to find its way out of obscurity – to a degree, at least.
All In: The Poker Movie also features several detailed accounts about some of the biggest landmarks in poker history. The one that really stood out for me is the story of how the movie Rounders came to be, and where the inspiration for this legendary movie came from. If you haven’t heard it before, it’s really interesting.
Then, there is the story about the invention of the hole card camera, the thing that changed televised poker forever, attracting millions of new viewers and bringing the game much closer to the masses. Watching poker with and without the hole card information is a day and night difference.
In addition to many great stories (that all somehow come together, despite being years or even decades apart), All In features a host of legendary characters who helped turn poker into the global phenomenon that it is today.
We are talking about the likes of Mike Sexton, Amarillo Slim, Daniel Negreanu, Mori Eskandani, Howard Lederer, Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Moneymaker, and many, many others.
In addition to these legends of the game, the movie features several representatives of the poker media from the period, including none other than Dan Michalski, the man who is responsible for founding the very site you’re reading this article on.
To see Pokerati highlighted in a movie like this is truly a special feeling, at least on a personal level, and it is a reminder of just how long the site has been around.
The added part of the movie also brings a really good recap of the events of Black Friday, including reactions from many top pros and speculations as to what caused the whole thing.
All In: The Poker Movie is a true gem for anyone interested in the history of this game we all love, and it does an excellent job of telling an informative, well-rounded, and interesting story, all in less than two hours.
Shortcomings
There is no such thing as a perfect poker movie, and All In has its shortcomings, but I don’t think any of them are significant enough to dissuade you from watching it.
One general complaint about this film seems to be that it’s not engaging enough for people who aren’t poker fans, and I can understand that to some degree. But I feel like that’s the case with most documentaries – if you’re not particularly interested in a specific topic and don’t have any knowledge coming in, it probably won’t resonate with you.
It’s just impossible to squeeze all the information you’d need to squeeze in without making the movie last three or four hours. And then everyone would complain it’s way too long.
As a poker fan, depending on your background, you may not be thrilled by the appearances of Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, and a few other characters whose legacy was seriously shattered in the aftermath of Black Friday.
Of course, at the time when the movie was originally filmed (2009), none of these things were known, and the army of Full Tilt pros were some of the biggest names in the game. If anything, it’s interesting to hear them speak today, with the knowledge of everything that came after.
Final Verdict
Even as someone who’s seen the movie a couple of times before and heard and read these stories many times, I was still able to enjoy All In: The Poker Movie. It is the cast of characters and covering the poker story from so many different angles that make this documentary a must-see.
If you’re new to poker and have problems figuring out some of the references you come across, this movie will certainly help you catch up with the history a bit. And if you’ve been a part of it for a couple of decades (or more), it’s an old story that never really gets old.
Overall score: 9/10
