A small-time pool shark with dreams of the big time seeks revenge against the mentor who did him wrong in this drama. Johnny Doyle (Mars Callahan) was a teenaged orphan when Joe (Chazz Palminteri) took him under his wing and taught him everything there is to know about shooting pool. Johnny became a genius with a cue, but while he dreamed of becoming a respected professional billiards player, Joe preferred to keep him working along the lower rungs of pool hustling. When Johnny learns just how far Joe has gone to keep him down, Johnny breaks away from him, but Joe and his thugs take revenge against Johnny by breaking his wrists. Tara (Alison Eastwood), Johnny's upper-crust girlfriend, urges him to get out of the pool racket, and Johnny grudgingly agrees, though he feels empty without the excitement of the table. Johnny renews ties with his younger brother Danny (Michael Rosenbaum), and begins to fear he's going to fall into the same sort of traps that snared him -- especially when he finds out that Joe has his eyes on Danny. Johnny decides to give pool playing another go, and teams up with Mike (Christopher Walken), who bankrolls hustlers and would like to take Joe down a notch or two. But Joe has found a new player, Brad (Rick Schroder), whose talent rivals Johnny's, and he's not sure if he knows a way to beat him on the green felt. Poolhall Junkies also features Rod Steiger in one of his final roles; the film didn't see theatrical release until nearly nine months after his death.
Customer Rating
5
Pool Hustlin'
on April 3, 2012
Posted by: Iknowalot
from Illinois
If you know me than you know that I'm all about the Hustlin'! That said I love this flick and I'm ashamed that I'm writing this review instead of watching it. What can I say Mike Massey is in this movie, yes the great tick shot artist. Christopher Walken....SAY WHAT???? Ernie Reyes Jr. C'mon are you kidding me. No I'm not kidding. Buy this movie now! Then buy a pool table and a new cue. Then become a pool hustling bad (Expletive) and then produce your own movie if you think you can top it. Just spend the $6 and save yourself a lot of time and heartache.
What's great about it: Trick shots and Christopher Walken...C'mon
What's not so great: Joe... He didn't read any of the signs..
Ron Shelton's buddy-basketball comedy White Men Can't Jump comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a deleted scene that has been edited into the body of the feature, theatrical trailers, television advertisements, and a music video for Riff's "White Men Can't Jump." This is a solid release from 20th Century Fox.
What can you say, two of the greatest actors of all time (Snipes and Harrelson) play as an unlikely basketball hustling team and don't get me started on game shows.
I love this movie. The acting really isn't great but why should it be? 50 is a rapper not an actor. The movie is a great gangster rags to riches story that any middle class kid from the suburbs can relate to!