Rating: A-

This is one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time. I laughed myself to tears during several parts of the movie. I walked into the theater with low expectations and left thinking about seeing it again.

The casting was brilliant, as many of the actors are experienced improv comics and had no problem adding their own flavor and likely varying quite a bit from the original script. From Woody Harrelson to Ray Romano, from Richard Kind to Dennis Farina, and from David Cross to Chris Parnell, most everyone took their characters to the highest level. Even Cheryl Hines surprised me – only because I’m not terribly familiar with her work – in her deadpan scenes.

Numerous poker players were strewn throughout the film, like Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak, and Antonio Esfandiari. Gabe Kaplan had a main role, which wasn’t tremendously impressive but an integral and sometimes funny role nonetheless. Phil Gordon played a recurring role throughout the movie as the tournament commentator, and he was fantastic. Some of his lines were the best of the movie.

More…

I’ve long thought that poker and fiction generally don’t mix well — at least not in the modern poker era when you’ve got so much got so much comedy, drama*, and pervy shenanigans going on in real poker life. But the newest poker movie, The Grand, may be different. Not only does it have an intriguing cast — Woody Harrelson, Dennis Farina, Ray Romano, David Cross, Cheryl Hines, Richard Kind, Chris Parnell — but also it’s improvised during a real poker tourney Curb Your Enthusiasm style.

The movie opens in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and Philadelphia next Friday. Click here to see the trailer … and we’ll have to see how many of you/us actually go see the film.

ALT HED: Lucky You 2?

*NSFW