Best Poker Movies That Really Are About Poker

Many popular movies include poker as a minor subplot, featuring only a few scenes dedicated to the game. Examples include “Casino Royale” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” However, we will not include them on this list.

We only include films where poker is a significant plot element, dedicating substantial screen time to the game.

This is surely the most shouty movie ever made. Every male cast member shouts every line the whole way through. It’s enough to give you a headache. Henry Fonda is just passing through Laredo, Texas, when he gets wind of a big poker game going on in the back room of the hotel, and his old addiction resurfaces. Despite his wife’s protestations, he puts all their saving on the line and then has a heart attack, leaving her to play the big hand for him. A lot of time dedicated to poker is ruined by the fake “Western rules” by which any player can “win” a pot by betting an amount the opponent can’t cover. Lastly, most characters are unlikable, mostly because they are always shouting.

Steve McQueen stars in what must be the greatest poker movie, in fact, the greatest gambling movie of all time! Mcqueen is a gambling prodigy who runs good at everything from cock fight betting to the ladies. He rises through the levels of 5-card stud games in Depression-era New Orleans from back alleys and basement games to playing with the millionaires. Macqueen is magnetic and charismatic; he refuses to cheat when given the chance, and we root for him all the way.

Shade is a neo-noir crime film about poker-playing card hustlers, con men, and cheats in Los Angeles. It stars Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith, and Sylvester Stallone, who has never looked or sounded more suave and debonair. Shade is a UK production with interwoven stories and a non-linear timeline. It is one of the best-written and acted films on this list. The story keeps you guessing who is who, with plenty of entertaining plot twists and turns. The poker action is mostly a 5-card stud and a 5-card draw.

Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster star in this Western romantic comedy. If that sentence made you cringe, be prepared for more cringing during the film. However, it does have some redeeming qualities, such as the stunning scenic backdrops, including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite Valley. Despite your inclination to dismiss this movie as beneath you, you might find yourself laughing and being charmed by the characters. Poker plays a significant role in the story, particularly 5-card stud and draw.

While poker takes up a lot of screen time and includes discussions about tells and cheating, it isn’t explored in depth and is tailored for a mass audience of poker newcomers.

Edward Norton, Matt Damon, and John Malkovich star in the greatest modern poker movie there is. Damon and Norton are long-time best friends and poker buddies until Norton winds up in jail and Damon goes bust. After losing all his savings, Damon leaves poker and goes legit, taking a law degree, working a regular job, and living with a stable girlfriend. When Norton gets out of Jail, the 2 have to start playing poker again to pay off Norton’s debt to violent mobsters (for which Damon is partly responsible). What follows is a roller-coaster of no-limit Hold’em.

Stu Ungar was the real deal, perhaps the greatest gambler ever. So, how did he end up dying alone and in debt in a cheap motel room off the Strip? This movie tells Ungar’s story as he recounts it to a stranger in that very motel room, interspersed with flashbacks from his life. From being the son of a bookie to becoming a world champion gin player, his journey involved cocaine addiction, marriage, and winning the World Series of Poker a record three times, followed by more drugs and divorce. Ungar’s life is an amazing true story. However, the film falls short in some ways; it may not be as enjoyable as it could have been because Ungar’s character is difficult to like, much like he was in real life.

“The Grand” is the funniest movie on this list, featuring an all-star comedy cast that includes Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, and Jason Alexander, along with real poker professionals such as Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Antonio Esfandiari, and Phil Laak. Much of the comedy is improvised, meaning that while more than half of the jokes may miss the mark, they keep coming at a rapid pace. The poker games showcased in the film are all Texas hold ’em. In the story, Woody Harrelson’s character must win a high-stakes poker tournament to save the struggling downtown Las Vegas casino left to him by his grandfather. The film also humorously explores the stories of other players in the tournament.

Lucky You tells the story of a Las Vegas professional poker player (Eric Bana) who has daddy issues with his father (Robert Duvall), who is also a Las Vegas professional poker player. Banner’s character has some high-risk, self-destructive character traits that he will need to tame to keep his new sweetheart, nice girl Drew Barrymore. He ends up at the final table of the World Series of Poker playing heads-up against his father! Wow, what are the odds, hey? I mean, who would have thought that would happen? The film is painfully forced and clichéd and fails all around. There is a lot of poker in it, but low-level stuff is meant for mass audiences. Weirdly, Robert Downey Jr has a bit part.

Justin Timberlake is playing online poker to pay his tuition at Princeton University when he experiences an incredibly unlikely losing streak and wipes out his bankroll. He takes his concerns to the poker room’s owner, Ben Affleck, a millionaire playboy living in Costa Rica. Impressed by Timberlake’s situation, Affleck offers him a job as his right-hand man. However, the FBI threatens to ruin Timberlake’s life unless he agrees to help them convict Affleck, who becomes increasingly shady as the story unfolds. This plot, which contains elements based on true events, makes the movie’s poor quality even more disappointing. It feels forced, unrealistic, and not believable throughout.

“Deal” is the most poker-centric film, as a significant portion of its storyline and screen time focuses on Texas hold ’em. It features real poker professionals Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, and Phil Laak. Unfortunately, “The Deal” is poorly executed, filled with obvious and exaggerated product placements that make it feel more like a 90-minute series of bad poker commercials. Burt Reynolds stars as a jaded former poker pro who mentors a young up-and-comer, playing into all the clichés of the master-student narrative, complete with inevitable conflicts and a dramatic falling out. In a twist, when the young player reaches his first major tournament, Reynolds makes a comeback for one last shot at glory, leading to a climactic heads-up showdown at the final table. Isn’t that surprising? What are the odds of that happening?

We would love to hear your thoughts on these movies, or if you think we’ve missed any. Share your thoughts and comments with us!