The Grand (2007) User Reviews (41)

Fairly good mockumentary

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 20 December 2022]

A 'mockumentary' about a ten million dollar poker tournament, this is chock full of familiar faces. The best poker players are invited to the Rabbit's Foot Casino in Vegas, an aging hold-out amidst the shiny high rise establishments.

The introductions, via 'interviews', to the off-beat characters is the most interesting part of the film, starting with the casino owner, Woody Harrelson. Harrelson is a stoner (and yes, he always nails that character), married 74 times (and 'loved them all') who inherited the casino from his grandfather (Barry Corbin, in flashback scenes). After a long stint in rehab, he is playing in the tournament at his casino (is this allowed?) to save the place from developer Michael McKean. McKean is a rather vacuous self absorbed rich guy who likes to put up shiny buildings and he wants to use the land for a huge hotel that is actually just one room - the rate is a million dollars a night.

Supposedly, there was no script for the poker game segments -it was ad-libbed. If this is true, Parnell proves to be the one adept at improv who can carry the scenes, and he really is quite good. This, however, is the problem with the film, unlike the wonderful mockumentary films of Christopher Guest, there wasn't enough of a script written by those who know comedy, or a cast that can pull off so much improvisation. There are some funny moments in the film, and these are talented actors..but they seem to be left to their own devices too often with little direction on what to do with their wacky characters.

Take your seat at the final table.

[trojan_u · 6/10 · 11 May 2008]

Being a regular poker player myself, i was probably more interested in watching this, than a non poker player, but you do not have to be an avid poker fan to enjoy this movie, though it would be slightly more interesting if you was.

Although the main basis of the film is about 6 people who have made the final table of a £10m poker tournament, it goes into more detail at the start of the film, of each particular person and their background etc, so by the end of the movie when the final is being played, you will probably have a favourite as to who you want to win.

But although the movie was watchable, it wasn't that good that you would want to watch it again and halfway through the film you've a pretty good idea how its going to end.

If you are into poker, look out for cameo appearances of Doyle Brunson and Phil Helmuth.

Verdict: Watchable but don't expect too much out of it.

Best Poker movie since Cincinatti Kid

[wsuggs74 · 7/10 · 25 June 2008]

Yes, its silly, but so was Spinal Tap, which The Grand owes a debt to in many ways.

Gabe Kaplan is hilarious as the father of two poker pros and Dennis Farina has the old time Vegas hood down pat. Phil Gordon, the best live teacher in poker, has some great lines as the tournament commentator.

You will spot a friend or yourself in one or more of the players, and the cameos are fun, including Phil "the hillside strangler" Laak as he was introduced..

If you like poker and still have a funny bone, this is as good as it gets.

What a waste of time.

[FlorinTanner · 14 July 2019]

Unwatchable. The "humor" is so forced it makes you wonder why the producers allowed the writer/director to procede past the first few dailies. There was obviously no adult supervision on the set. The actor's were fine, it's the director that should have had adult supervision. I understand that some of the poker in this was improvised. The actors didn't know who was going to win, or what the hands would be. Interesting concept, but it doesn't pan out. Even if you believe that it was not rigged decks, the outcome of the tournament is exactly the outcome that you expect. So it's hard to believe that it was unscripted.

Although Likely Of Only Modest Interest To Many Viewers, Versatile Skills Of Many Contribute To Its Development.

[rsoonsa · 7/10 · 6 July 2008]

"The Grand Championship of Poker", held at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, furnishes the backdrop for this cleverly constructed mockumentary that will please aficionados of the card game, although viewers not conversant with the rules of poker will understandably be more interested in the personalities involved, thanks to the able leadership of director Zak Penn, who provides his cast with only a briefly outlined scenario from which to work. This, then, is primarily an improvisational work, with the actors representing actual well-known poker tournament contestants, all the while not themselves knowing the film's outcome, since they are engaged in ongoing competition with highly proficient professionals, contending for a winner-take-all prize of $10 million. Resourceful editing is the determinant to success for an episodic affair of this sort, and that duty is capably handled by Abby Schwarzwalder, being of particular value during the production's earlier segments, when a wide range of defined character types is created by director Penn. The film loses much of its impact during its lattermost sequences as a result of poker jargon being extensively utilized, and probably not comprehensible to a good many viewers. The Anchor Bay DVD release enjoys outstanding audio and visual quality and offers a liberal number of interesting extra features. These include: a brace of alternate endings; some truly comedic deleted scenes that have optional commentary by Penn, writer/executive producer Matt Bierman, and actor Michael Karnow; "Wild Cards" - a goodly amount of footage that profiles major players along with some cameo roles; a full-length audio commentary with Penn, Bierman and Karnow, marked by the director's efforts to keep the other two focused upon the film; and a large group of selected scene commentaries with Penn and Woody Harrelson, in addition to one with the director and players Cheryl Hines and Ray Romano. From among a large collection of talented performers we may enjoy some excellent turns, acting honours going to Chris Parnell as a social misfit who is also a genius at poker. These extras, taken together, will comprise the principal reason for a majority of those who are not fans of poker playing to acquire this work, their entertainment value offsetting any constraints caused by a self-destructing effect fashioned from the game's usage of poker nomenclature, a failing that will leave many viewers adrift.

TAKING IT UP THE BEANSTALK

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 13 June 2019]

This is a fairly plot-less quirky movie about a poker tournament. The film gives you the background of a number of fictional players, and then you watch them play cards and interact. THE PLAYERS:

"One Eye" Jack Faro (Woody Harrelson)- Has spent his last 2 years in rehab. Has never met a girl he didn't marry or a drug he didn't like. Wants to save the casino he inherited.

Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell)- He is a math nerd who his heavily into "Dune". Lives at home with his mother (Estelle Harris)....by will alone.

Laine Schwartzman (Cheryl Hines)She is from Long Island and has always been her Dad's (Gabe Kaplain) favorite. She is married to Fred (Ray Romano ) who has been hit by lightning and is not all together, but is functional. He likes to make up handshakes and sayings.

Lanny Schwartzman- (David Cross) The nerdy brother of Laine. She always beat him at games as a child. Nobody beats her at Candyland...ask her kids.

Deuce Fairbanks (Dennis Farina)- Old time poker gambler.

The German (Werner Herzog)- He is also an old time gambler. He enjoys all kinds of gambling and killing small animals.

Andy Andrew (Richard Kind)- He is the new breed of Internet gambler, a math teacher from Wisconsin. His wife Sharon (Judy Greer ) owns the finest ribbon shop in Dour Wisconsin.

The movie is hit and miss. If you are into the characters, you will find a film worthy of a view. If not, you will be bored to tears. It is difficult to determine that before you watch it. I like Woody, so for me it was an easy choice.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, no real sex, magazine nudity...which didn't make sense, but then again I don't think it was supposed to make sense.

dull, unfunny parody

[Buddy-51 · 4/10 · 13 November 2008]

"The Grand" is a mockumentary about six internet poker players who gather in Las Vegas for a $10 million, winner-take-all tournament.

A game, eclectic cast - Woody Harrelson, Hank Azaria, Chris Parnell, Ray Romano, Werner Herzog, Gabe Kaplan - struggles with a mediocre script that, in tone as well as in style, steals clumsily from all those far superior Christopher Guest movies like "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." In the case of "The Grand," the humor is largely lacking, as each eccentric character plays out his little assigned shtick over and over and over again.

As executed by writer/director Zak Penn, the poker scenes are particularly languid and lifeless and utterly incomprehensible to any non-poker players who may happen to be a part of the audience.

Good comedy, awful poker film.

[Shattered_Wake · 6/10 · 11 July 2008]

My two biggest hobbies have always been poker and film. The mix of the two has rarely been a successful thing. Besides 'Rounders,' 'The Cincinnati Kid,' and a couple more, we really haven't received many great poker films. It's not for a lack of trying, unfortunately.

'The Grand' is jammed pack with a great cast if cincluding Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Tilly, Cheryl Hines, Dennis Farina, Richard Kind, Werner Herzog, Ray Romano, and David Cross. In addition, there's also a great poker cast including Phil Laak, Phil Gordon, Gabe Kaplan, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth.

The story's not that bad either. . . the son of a casino owner (Harrelson), down on his luck, sells the rights to the winner-take-all $10 million tourney he runs, called The Grand, and is on the brink of losing his casino. His last shot to keep afloat is to win the tournament himself. He must battle his reputation, his inner demons, and his luck to take the crown and save himself and his casino.

But, unfortunately, there's a lot holding back the film. The execution, pacing, and poorly structure multiple story lines muddle the film into almost confusion. The most damaging element to this film, however, is the awful, awful poker. I mean, these guys are professionals and play like they've never seen a deck of cards or a stack of chips. Calling all in with A 8 high? Calling through pot-sized bets with A high and a backdoor flush draw? ' Anyway, it's not a great film, but the comedy makes it enjoyable. Don't expect a quality poker film, though.

Final Verdict: 6/10.

Not A Bad Film, But Not Very Good

[heffay111 · 4/10 · 2 May 2007]

"The Grand" is funny in parts, but overall there are three unfunny minutes for every funny minute. The movie starts fairly strong, and I was honestly hoping that it would keep up the humor, but it did not. Which is a shame.

Interestingly, what does not work in this film is the poker. At a Q&A after the movie (at the Tribeca Film Festival), the director made a point of immediately stating that the poker was real. They dealt the cards and the actors played in character and the results were up to fate. Very interesting idea. Unfortunately, that did not carry to the movie. There was almost no excitement or tension to the poker tournament, perhaps because it is impossible to build tension in the results of a game when that game is severely edited. I hate to say it, but this film is less exciting and less entertaining than an episode Bravo's "Celebrity Poker." Even though the poker tournament itself is boring, this movie still could have been laugh out loud funny. Unfortunately, it isn't. I hold no grudge against the filmmaker for taking a direct copy of the Christopher Guest play book and running with it. I only wish he'd been more successful so that I could have laughed more than infrequently.

Hopefully this movie's failure will not discourage others from using this formula. I would love to have more comedies in this style. It is not like Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy are the only two people alive who can come up with a concept for a mockumentary. Actually, it's my opinion that "The Grand" has a better premise than several Guest/Levy creations. It should be very funny and entertaining. Unfortunately, it is not.

A funny movie for people with the right sense of humor and a bit of poker knowledge

[michaeljhuman · 7/10 · 12 March 2012]

I can see where this movie would polarize people.

I think people will like this the most who - a) Have a dry sense of humor b) Like "quirky" movies c) Have played and more importantly, watched enough poker on TV to recognize some of the people being parodied

If you have only (a) and (b) going for you, you will perhaps find some scene funny, but not as funny as you would if you meet (c)

For example here's some things to look for - * Gabe Kaplan is a REAL poker player, so it's nice to see him in a poker movie * Larry is somewhat of a composite guy, but definitely seems to be parodying Phil Helmuth (one of his quotes is lifted from an infamous Helmuth quote) * Larry and Laney (sp?) are bother and sister, with the sister usually coming out on top - there's two famous players who are brother and sister, and Annie the sister beat her brother Howard in a number of big events

(Just to name a few references)

Anyway, at times the dialog is awkward. But if you give it a chance, and can laugh at some of the awkward moments, you may enjoy it.

Props to Parnell, Kaplan, Harreson, the female who played Laney (sp?), Phil Gordon and the person who played the "amateur" from Wisconsin for some pretty funny performances.

horrible attempt at "indie film".

[chomskyreader · 1/10 · 24 July 2008]

for some reason the cover of this movie had me worried it was corny and awful, but with actors like David cross, werner herzog, and cheryl hines, i really wanted to give it a chance. what i ended up watching was hours of horrible snl style skits, done over and over again, with no punch-line, no intelligent thought, and terrible film-making/acting. how all these actors got together and decided to do this is beyond me, unless they were already going to be in town to play poker anyways or something. don't waste your time seeing this movie, its seriously the worst thing I've seen in a long time. it tries to be a "David guest" style mocu-mentary, but fails horribly, and ends up giving whoever watches it a headache and a horrible impression of who people like werner herzog and David cross are, don't judge them by the fact that they are in this movie, they are both talented individuals.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this film

[lancerama · 9/10 · 13 May 2007]

I have to say I really enjoyed this film. I saw it at Tribeca last month and to be honest I didn't have high expectations. I personally don't like most of the movies the writer/director (Zak Penn) has written of late (mostly big action comic book movies), but this is not that kind of film.

What honestly attracted me to this film was that it's an improv style film starring one of my favorite SNL people ever, Chris Parnell. He doesn't disappoint. He plays a lonely poker player who has some kind of mental problem where he's brutally honest and very, very skilled in math (which makes him a great player). Chris steals every scene he's in, which aren't enough if you ask me, but I'm biased so take that with a grain of salt.

The other actors hold their own in their respective roles all working to try and win a big tournament for 10 million dollars. I don't know enough about poker to know if it's at all accurate, but the good thing is the film doesn't really focus on actual poker all that often.

If you like the films of Christopher Guest (which I do), then I think you'll like this film as well.

A "Grand" Ol' Time (painful, I know)

[jfmvp · 7/10 · 25 October 2009]

The first three-quarters of Zak Penn's "The Grand" are hilarious, especially for avid fans of No Limit Texas Hold 'Em -- you know, the types of fans who understand whom the characters satirize:

Lainie Schwartzman is Annie Duke, Larry Schwartzman is Phil Hellmuth (though the brother/sister storyline mirrors that of Duke and Howard Lederer),and Mike "The Bike" Heslov and his "Crew" represent all of those annoying groups of friends that enter the World Series of Poker as partners, and then root each other on while spewing their own brand of Hold 'Em lingo. In this case, a "BBFC" -- Boom Boom Fold Cock. That's one of the films shortest, and yet most entertaining scenes.

David Cross (as Larry Schwartzman), Chris Parnell (as Harold Melvin), and acclaimed director Werner Herzog (as The German) are the stars of this show. All three are funny and memorable for their own reasons, and the casting was spot on for that particular trio of characters. Dennis Farina (Deuce Fairbanks), Richard Kind (Andy Andrews), Ray Romano (Fred Marsh), and Gabe Kaplan (the Schwartzmans' dad) also put in fine work.

Woody Harrelson was annoying in the lead as Jack Faro, though he had his moments, especially when discussing his drug and alcohol addictions. Cheryl Hines gives the most uneven and disappointing performance of this mockumentary, finding no consistency and little-to-no laughs.

While the first 3/4 of "The Grand" are high in entertainment value and originality, the last quarter falls totally flat. The would-be high tension final table hands are horribly played, and no true fan of Hold 'Em could believe that these players are of the world-class variety. In the real world, they'd all be donkeys.

Nonetheless, "The Grand" was a pleasant surprise when I stumbled upon it on one of the Showtime channels. This is on par with Christopher Guest's mockumentaries -- better than some, and worse than others. Ultimately, it's worth seeing for poker fans with a specific sense of humor.

Flat, no not good actors

[moviebug06 · 4/10 · 13 April 2008]

On the way home after seeing this, I figured out why it wasn't so funny: It had too many regular actors doing semi-improvisational roles.

Christopher Guest's movies work--when they do--because he uses comic actors & writers. Particularly skit comic actors (SNL, Second City) like Guest, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levi, Michael McKean, Fred Willard, and Catherine O'Hara. They're used to performing semi-improv and as writers of sketch comedy. They're at home with the style. Regular actors in this movie don't far as well. Even stand-up comedians don't seem to do as well with this stuff, though somewhat better.

Dennis Farina was bad, Richard Kind wasn't (esp. bad), etc. Ray Romano was decent, but not quite good. Chris Parnell was really good, but his character was too limited, too one-dimensional. What would have been better was to have a regular actor play the role, and just do what Parnell came up with. Let Parnell do it, write it, and then hand it over to someone to do the part. Then Parnell could've been used for a better part where more improv was possible. A waste of his talent.

Michael McKean is a highlight--a Guest regular, but his role wasn't given much screen time. Ditto for Hank Azaria--very good, but very, very limited time on screen.

Gabe Kaplan was the worst. He wasn't funny at all, and he just sort of stood there with little to say. You could tell in one looong scene in particular where he was with the bald(er) guy with a beard--a highlight he was--where he was given set-up after set-up but came up blank. Painful. His scenes ran way too long for them joke-to-time ratio.

Woody was good.

The concept of having some good, lively characters played by good comic actors a la Guest, sitting around a poker table could be a great set-up for improv. No go here.

Prescription: Sketch comics who write--maybe for some semi-improv stuff--or others who are very glib and verbally gifted, like Azaria.

Will never watch again.

High Stakes, (Some) High Reward

[MacAindrais · 29 June 2008]

The Grand (2008)***

Zak Penn, writer of various superhero pictures, makes his return to the directors chair in this wildly uneven but nevertheless entertaining improvisational comedy. The film chronicles various poker players as they try to win big at The Grand Tournament in Las Vegas. Among the players are: Jack Fero (Woody Harrelson), a substance abusing womanizer looking to win the 10 million dollar pot to save his grandfather's passed down casino; Larry and Lanie Schwartzman (David Cross and Cheryl Hines), brother and sister competitors (also involved is their father and Lanie's husband, Fred, played by Ray Romano); Andy Andrews (Richard Kind), an amateur who has somehow made it all the way to the tournament, apparently on luck; Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell), a lonely Dune quoting genius who lives with his mother; Deuce Fairbanks (Dennis Farina), the oldtimer with many stories to tell about the old Las Vegas; and The German, a hardcore, animal sacrificing, quote poet played by who else but Werner Herzog. Various other actors, directors, and real life poker pros have cameos, some good, some just meh.

There really isn't a whole lot to say for the plot, other than its about a poker tournament. Characters have their various story lines: Jack trying to save his casino; Larry and Lanie trying to deal with their overbearing father; Fred trying to get Manning on Yahoo! Fantasy Football; Harold and Andy have a budding friendship; Deuce, the German, and Jack's grandfather used to pal around, etc. Its mostly filler for comedy and those times where poker tables go on break. There are moments when the backstories have some very funny comedy (such as the relationship between Lanie and Fred); also very funny is Michael McKeen as the man trying to swindle Jack out of his casino. Other times the comedy is just a bit flat, backstory or front story. There are moments where jokes don't flow well, and certain jokes seem to be coming from another movie entirely. But overall, the laughs are consistently there, not always big but grinworthy. Besides, McKean and Herzog, for the amount of screen time they have, are almost worth the price of admission alone. Brett Ratner, of all people, also has a couple good moments that I suspect might be either hit or miss with most audiences.

Penn is obviously going for a Spinal Tap or Guest-like rendering of poker tournaments. The dry wit is there, but so are the obvious go-for-laugh moments. Its not nearly as subtle as it could have been. The actors though mostly all deliver. Commendable in particular is the performance by Gabe Kaplan, pro poker player and Welcome Back Kotter alumnus, as Seth Schwartzman. He's annoying, as he was meant to be, but also pretty funny. Ray Romano is also very funny as the neurotic lighting strike survivor Fred.

So improvisational was the set that Penn stated that they even improved the final table. They of course gave extra cash to players they wanted to win, but apparently things didn't pan out. Whatever the case, The Grand is overall a hit or miss affair that hits more often than it misses. I enjoy the impromptu nature of improv comedy, and the actors are clever enough to hit the funny in short bursts.

better than expected

[pepekwa · 7/10 · 13 October 2008]

a comedy-poker film immediately sounds like a flop but this delivers and has some genuinely funny moments. There's a great cast here and some great cameos to boot, David cross and chris parnell, perhaps two of the lesser-known "stars" had me in stitches at times. You can easily enjoy the movie with no knowledge of poker but Hold-em players will appreciate some of the intricacies on the tables and some cameos from poker greats with some scenes unashamedly hamming up ESPN"s World series of poker coverage. There's great chemistry between all the leads which is what you would expect from good actors but Zak penn deserves credit for making a good film and should do more work behind the camera on this evidence.

"12% Is A Good Deal"

[loganx-2 · 7/10 · 11 June 2008]

Great cast Chris Parnell, David Cross, Jason Alexander, Werner Herzog, Cheryl Hines(of Curb Your Enthusiasm), among others all in an improv comedy about the world of poker. All actors are at the top of their game here, but by the end of the movie almost everything has gone flat. The final game in the movie was apparently a real game where the character who won, won the movie, which though novel and interesting in theory, makes the actors in their final scene all but abandon the characters they'd been developing and try to really play (with a minimum of interaction), which unless your interested in poker isn't very fun to watch. The first half of the film where we are introduced to the characters is all funny enough, but there's no follow through here. If you like Christopher Guest movies, and improv comedy, or else love poker, this is for you.

I disagree...shoulda' been a sports channel Sunday special...or...

[sirvertual · 3/10 · 21 June 2008]

I'd be hard-pressed to even classify this as a 'real' movie...It's more of a display of Penn's attempt at 'riding on the edge' of any conventional-type comedy film, meaning it's an (obviously)'improvisational comedy that centers around a cardgame ('The Grand')...Fairly enough, it's taglined as 'an improvisational comedy...using a handful of actors playing characters competing in an actual poker tournament', which is quite accurate...So, you have been warned...I think the problem here (aside from the old 'ust because someone gives you the money to do soething, doesn't mean you should), no the problem is that it's a little 'too improvisational' and feels like it might 'all-be' an improvisation...LIKE NO SCRIPTED LINES WHATSOEVER...It's like a musical where the orchestra didn't have any sheet usic, but a guy going "like this: dong-cha-dong-chucka-dong-dong-dong"...At least that's the way I felt watching this...In fact, the thought 'kept' coming into my mind...I said "self"..."I don't think they had a written script"... The other problem is that it's really 'not funny'...The characters aren't funny...they are irritating and I get enough irritating people when I go out in public...and they are 'sometime (usually) funnier!...So for my money, it's a comedy..THAT IS NOT FUNNY... It probably pitches like it could be funny (and even successful), but it falls apart as a film, completely...If you understand this, then you also understand it sounds more like an off-Broadway play...As a matter of fact (and the ore I think about it), this 'movie' would probably do very well in a live theatrical format...Heck, it could take on a life of its own and become syndicated, making the US cities tour, complete with building sized promos appearing in each city months before it premiers to build the anticipation...I'm certain performing arts centers all over the country will sell out all the shows quickly as anticipation grows and of course the wealthy season ticket holders would let everyone know they'll be busy on Friday evening, because they will be at the 'premier' of that play...'The Grand'...As a matter of fact, the more 'I' think about it, given the opportunity; 'I'd' pitch it! (as a play), because it 'would' be successful (as a play)... The problem (again) is that we aren't talking about 'The Grand-the play'...we're talking about 'The Grand--the movie'...which sadly, doesn't work...The other alternative for this material would be a SNL skit...or maybe the Comedy Channel coud've made it an hour and a half long TV comedy-movie, but even then there would need to be some casting revisions and a lot of editing... The way it is just doesn't work and shouldn't have been financed or released onto an unsuspecting public...I'll take a second look at anything Woody Harrelson is in from now on and won't spend my oney on anything Penn's in charge of...How does Jr. say it???...Trick me once shame on Penn...trick the public twice...and I get two terms to rape the country...(that's not an exact quote, but that's probably a bit more accurate!)...

Where are the laughs?

[hall895 · 5/10 · 28 May 2010]

The Grand is an improvisational comedy which ultimately is a letdown because it simply is not funny enough. There are some talented performers here who you would think might be able to make something like this work but it never really comes together. The movie has its moments but even at its best it is never really laugh out loud funny. And for whatever moments there might be which kind of work there are many more moments which just don't work at all. Doing improv can be like walking a high wire without a net. And this movie more or less falls off that high wire and goes splat.

The movie centers around a major, $10 million winner-take-all poker tournament and the eclectic, eccentric cast of characters chasing the big prize. Unfortunately most of these characters are probably a little too eccentric to be taken seriously. Then again this is not really a movie meant to be taken seriously, it's meant to make you laugh. A shame then that it fails at that too. There may be some mild chuckles here and there but the movie never hits any great comedic heights. Among the performers David Cross is the only one who really stands out. He's actually very good. Everyone else ranges from mediocre to total dud. Woody Harrelson's the purported star of the movie and he's rather lifeless although to be fair it almost has to be that way for the character he's playing. Richard Kind, playing a poker novice, is moderately amusing but none of the other major players in the tournament bring much to the table. And some of the supporting performances are terribly disappointing. Michael McKean's character is eccentric to the point of stupidity. It doesn't work at all. Ray Romano has probably never in his life been as desperately unfunny as he is in this movie. Gabe Kaplan is incredibly dull. And poker commentator Mike Werbe, played by Michael Karnow, is an impossibly annoying abomination. Every time he opens his mouth you want to reach inside the screen and slap him. And, while a novel concept, improvising the poker poses a major problem as well. Because if the actors play stupidly your big finish will not ring true to any serious poker player and it will ultimately doom the movie to failure. And never underestimate the ability of actors to play poker stupidly. Let's just say it ends up being a little difficult to believe in some of these characters as professional poker players after actually watching them play. Although to be fair by the time we get to the end the movie was probably doomed to failure anyway no matter how the poker played out. This movie was an interesting idea which unfortunately was not executed well at all.

How did this movie get made?

[mikschulz · 1/10 · 25 May 2016]

I am unsure why all the actual actors said yes to making this movie... I like poker and poker movies but this is without a doubt one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

The acting is bad, the poker scenes are bad and a lot of the time not accurate. I get that it is slap-stick but if you are going to make a movie that appeals to poker players, at the very least make it accurate!

If one person reads this and decides not to watch the movie, writing this review was a better use of my time then watching this.

I wish I could give a worse review but I don't want to have this removed.

"Yes, I did get thrown out of my own Casino."

[Slickflix · 8/10 · 27 April 2008]

It's hard to be a poker fan in the world of movies. Let's face it, how many great poker movies can you think of? "Rounders" perhaps. Despite "Texas Hold'Em" growing extraordinarily popular over the last few years, Hollywood has really failed to capitalize on the trend. I'm happy to report that the wait is over. "The Grand" not only emerges as a wonderful poker film, but also one of the best comedies I've seen in ages. While it doesn't seem to be well known now, I predict it will find a massive audience on DVD and Cable, ala "Office Space".

"The Grand" is a mocumentary (in the tradition of Christopher Guest), following six players as they compete in huge Texas Hold'em tournament in Nevada. Along the way we meet many other supporting characters, including family and friends of the main six, as well as other participants in the tournament. The initial six are…

Woody Harrelson as "One Eyed" Jack Faro. He is a lifetime drug abuser who has inherited the "Rabbit's Foot Casino" from his grandfather. A large debt has forced him to enter into the tournament his Casino is hosting.

Cheryl Hines as Lainie Schwartzman. She is a mother of five who supports her family (which includes a deadbeat husband) as a professional poker player. She is also the sister of…

David Cross as Larry Schwartzman. He is also a professional poker player, known around the circuit for his obnoxious behavior. The fact that his father puts his support behind his sister Lainie only motivates him more to win the tournament.

Chris Parnell as Harold Melvin. A statistics expert who uses his knowledge of numbers to his advantage as a poker pro. He is also ludicrously Anti-Social, and lives still lives with his elderly mother.

Dennis Farina as Deuce Fairbanks. The old timer who's been on the scene for years, and has nothing but contempt for what's become of the game over the past few years.

Richard Kind as Andy Andrews. A novice player who won an online poker tournament by chance to win his seat at "The Grand", despite knowing absolutely nothing about the game of poker.

Some supporting performers include Judy Greer, Michael McKean, Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, and Shannon Elizabeth. Real life Pro players Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Laak also make appearances, as well as filmmakers Brett Ratner and Werner Herzog.

As you can see, this is a huge ensemble, and director Zak Penn handles it impeccably. Every performance shines, and the pace is fast and fun. I think I laughed three times as much in this film than in any feature all year. The humor is always there, be it in the witty dialogue, the great ensemble, or the various clever scenarios.

As stated before, the film is structured similarly to a Chris Guest mocumentary, alternating between testimonials of the characters, and following the players around as they play in the tournament. The tournament itself is presented similarity to a telecast of "The World Series of Poker", complete with mismatched commentators.

I'm not the biggest fan of Penn's superhero stuff, but I thought he did something clever with his Herzog Loch Ness project. Here, he hits a real sweet spot, creating a real love letter to fans of poker and smart comedy alike.

Had a great cast but a waste for nearly an hour....

[rusoviet · 3/10 · 1 February 2021]

.....this film had some great actors but it was wasted on cutesie filthy language 'skits' introducing each of them. Fast forward to the 50 minute mark and then watch.

Competing for the big prize

[myriamlenys · 5/10 · 16 December 2023]

"The Grand" is a mockumentary about a number of poker players competing at an important tournament. There are things "The Grand" does well and there are things "The Grand" does not do well. Probably it's easiest to begin with the positives.

"The Grand" boasts some good jokes and funny characters. Other viewers will pick their own favorites, but I was particularly fond of Woody Harrelson as a brain-fried stoner who, somehow, seduced more women than Valentino ever did. From a satirical viewpoint the movie also kicks a richly deserving buttock, to wit the Las Vegas casino aesthetic. (One of the segments includes an architect's model of a proposed casino on a "Fire Disaster" theme, complete with a fake blaze devouring the upper floors.) Perceptively, the movie points out that the surpassing hideousness of these buildings is not an accident, but an unavoidable result of the owners' desire to keep their punters hooked, confused and biddable.

"The Grand" is far less successful constructing a cohesive story working towards a compelling conclusion. It is also pretty bad at picturing human relationships. For instance : who believes that a father saying a few kind words to his adult son is going to wipe out decades of cruel and capricious education ?

I'm awarding the movie five stars. In fairness I need to add that I know bupkes about the game of poker. Poker players may discover clever finds or inventive twists that escaped me entirely.

Another mockumentary

[neatmiker · 5/10 · 29 June 2020]

I'll be glad when this genre loses its appeal to the B/C list crowd. It's played out, boring and peaked with Spinal Tap, which wasn't as great as the legend holds. Funny isn't funny when it's not but it's supposed to be.

There is a list of actors who knew someone or got lucky with casting and ended up milking a career out of that break. There are a number of them in this film. Skip this one and watch any episode of arrested development and you'll get your full.

Pretty funny

[PeterRoeder · 5/10 · 22 May 2012]

Although this movie is no "Rounders" it does give a pretty good view of poker. The characters are interesting and the poker is pretty precise. There might have been some more about poker and less silly jokes. A few scenes could have been cut out of the movie. Really, I found the poker very interesting but didn't find the characters that impressive. Anyway, it's nice to see a movie that one can learn something about poker with. I really don't have too much to say about this movie other than that the poker was pretty good in this movie. The movie is from 2006. A lot has happened since then and it sums up poker until 2006 pretty good. I didn't find it funny or anything and I watched it because of the poker, and it really is worth watching if you want to learn about poker. Pretty good movie actually.