The most vivid and most enjoyable movies immerse us in a world, and show us how that world works. The screenplay by David Levien and Brian Koppelman does that; Dahl's direction closes the deal.

| Jun 19, 2016

| Original Score: B | Sep 7, 2011

The wholesome pup's poker face alone, however, hardly accounts for the film's failure to thrill. Damon's character doesn't really have that much stake in the story's outcome.

| Mar 25, 2008

Intermittently engaging but dramatically slack.

Full Review | Mar 25, 2008

Gretchen Mol, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Martin Landau, and Famke Janssen costar; they're all pretty good, but not good enough to make this 1998 feature worth seeing.

| Mar 25, 2008

The end result is still short of a winning hand, since the screenplay is so utterly predictable.

| Jun 24, 2006

Though it's a good-looking flick with some smart acting and a few flashy runs, it barely breaks even dramatically, and feels, overall, like a good chance wasted.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 12, 2002

In fighting to show the psychological complexities in Mike that the script ignores, Damon plays it like a rounder instead of a grinder. This kid still has surprises up his sleeve.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 11, 2001

Though Damon is an actor who's flatly impossible not to root for, the longer this film lasts the less patience we have to stay with him.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 14, 2001

It's a movie of character and milieu, both of which it evokes brilliantly.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 1, 2000

Norton's acting and Dahl's gift for sustaining a tone save Rounders from completely floundering.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

A promising cast can't rescue a script without surprises!

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

A disappointing mediocrity.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

According to director John Dahl's Rounders, professional poker players are very, very interesting people -- for about five minutes.

| Jan 1, 2000

Rounders has little trouble maintaining our interest, it's just that the stakes are disappointingly meager.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 1, 2000

No energy!

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Mischievously entertaining!

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 1, 2000

Not a full house by any means.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 1, 2000

A sure bet!

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Rounders' script is pretty shabby going. Well, not shabby, really, just simplistic.

| Jan 1, 2000