When it comes to the cinematic portrayal of the world of poker, there have been more misses than hits. For every “Rounders” or “The Grand” that have depicted the game fairly accurately, there have been severe missteps (anyone remember “Lucky You” or the ESPN series “Tilt”?). A documentary that goes into nationwide release tomorrow attempts to examine the draw of the game of poker and, in making that audacious attempt, knocks it out of the park.
“All In: The Poker Movie” (released by 4th Row Films and directed by Douglas Tirola) is a movie that anyone who has an interest in the game – from the poker aficionado to the greenest of newcomers – will find informative, enlightening and entertaining across the board. “All In” attempts to find the answers to several questions: why has poker become the draw that it has? What attracts people to the game? And why, even after several dark periods in its history, has poker remained as one of the preeminent card games for not only Americans but now also the world?
Over the span of 109 minutes, “All In” tackles these questions and several others. It is at times a history lesson of the game, delving into the development of poker in the United States from the Civil War to the riverboats of the Mississippi River to the Gold Rush of 1848 and the early days of the Wild West. Noted historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, in one of the many outstanding interviews that are contained in the documentary, observes, “It is in (Americans) DNA from the start of this country, there’s something inside Americans, to take a chance.” It is a theme that is repeated at several points throughout the film and is something that holds true even today.
Where the movie truly takes hold is in its analysis of the Internet Age of Poker, which is traced by “All In” from the late 1990s until February of this year. While many theories are presented as to why poker exploded during the first decade of the 21st century (Poker Hall of Famer Henry Orenstein’s development of the hole card camera is aptly given kudos, as is the explosion of poker on television with the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour), two areas take center stage in “All In”: Chris Moneymaker’s performance at the 2003 WSOP and the politics behind online poker in the late 2000s to now.
Moneymaker’s story is told in vivid detail by the former World Champion himself. In recounting his story, Moneymaker admits to being a “degenerate gambler” who burned up the gambling bankroll (through sports betting) that was created by Moneymaker and his father and reluctantly heading back to his accounting job. The now-familiar story of how Moneymaker almost didn’t want the seat to the WSOP but wanted the cash for the bubble finisher, how green Moneymaker was during that tournament (his first ever) and his drive to the 2003 World Championship are relived for the viewer. Although these stories may be old news to some, it is tremendously interesting to hear it from Moneymaker himself.
It is the examination of online poker, however, where “All In” truly finds its place and purpose. From the beginnings of Planet Poker to the development of PartyPoker, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, “All In” shows how poker transfixed millions around the world and brought them to the virtual version of the game. “All In” also accurately depicts what is the current state of the online poker world in the United States at this time.
Commentary about the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 leads to the effects on the world of poker with the “Black Friday” indictments of April 2011. The film begins, actually, with the thoughts of several people (including Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and actor Matt Damon) describing the “tectonic shift” in online poker as a result of the federal government’s actions on that day. But it also shows that the game, albeit affected by last year’s dark moment, to still be attractive to the world at large.
Perhaps the best thing about “All In” is the interviews with a vast array of personalities. Whether they are historians (boxing and sports historian Bert Sugar and Goodwin), sports writers (former Sports Illustrated writer Frank Deford) or the host of poker professionals, tournament directors and innovators that were interviewed (too numerous to mention), the insight provided by all is outstanding and thought-provoking. Without the involvement of these people, “All In” would not be such an outstanding production.
Whether you see it live in a theater or purchase it online (the movie can be bought and theaters showing the film can be found at the website allinthepokermovie.com), “All In: The Poker Movie” is a must see for anyone that considers themselves a poker player or a fan of the game. It is not only a good historical outlook on the game but also an excellent snapshot of where poker is today. If all films that utilize the game of poker as its subject were as well done as “All In” is, then there would be a long list of excellent poker films rather than the hit-or-miss efforts that we have seen over the years.