Poker, a game of strategy, psychology, and a healthy dose of luck, has always held a certain cinematic allure. From the smoky backrooms of classic Westerns to the high-stakes tables of modern thrillers, the world of poker provides a rich backdrop for drama and intrigue. However, not all poker movies are dealt the same hand. While some, like “California Split” and “The Cincinnati Kid,” achieve legendary status, others, unfortunately, end up as “dead money” – films that fail to deliver on their promise. “Dead Money,” the 2023 movie, falls squarely into the latter category. While it aims to capture the tension and excitement of high-stakes poker games and criminal underworlds, it ultimately folds under the weight of a predictable plot, shallow characters, and a lack of genuine suspense.
Directed by Luc Malpoth, “Dead Money” attempts to blend the gritty realism of “Rounders” with the stylized crime theatrics reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s late 90s era. The film opens in the midst of an illegal poker game hosted by the down-on-his-luck Jack (David Keith). Among the players are professional poker ace Andy (Emile Hirsch), his girlfriend Chloe (India Eisley), a med student, and the suspiciously named cop, LT (Peter Facinelli). This initial game is violently disrupted by masked robbers, setting off a chain of events that reveal a double-cross and propel Andy into possession of the stolen cash.
What follows is a series of increasingly improbable poker games and criminal misadventures. Andy, initially intending to pay off debts and disappear, gets drawn back into the high-stakes world, finding himself on a winning streak at a game run by the menacing Faizel (Jimmy Jean-Louis) and attended by poker legend Bobby Kirkland (Brennan Brown). Meanwhile, Jack and his accomplice Wendell (Jackie Earle Haley), realizing they’ve been double-crossed by Andy, track him down. They take Chloe hostage, escalating the stakes for Andy who is forced to win $500,000 at the poker table to save her life.
The screenplay by Josh Wilcox hits the expected plot points of a crime thriller, filled with colorful, if not particularly original, dialogue and numerous scenes involving guns pointed at heads and characters slowly succumbing to injuries. However, beneath the surface-level tropes, there’s a distinct lack of depth. The characters are thinly sketched, making it difficult to invest in their fates. We are presented with a cast of individuals making questionable decisions, driven by greed and desperation, but without sufficient motivation or backstory to make their actions compelling. The film occasionally pauses for exposition on poker rules and strategies, but these moments feel more like filler than genuine insights into the game’s complexities.
Director Luc Malpoth’s handling of the material is technically competent but lacks a distinctive style or the ability to generate real tension. Even with life-or-death stakes and constant threats of violence, the film feels surprisingly flat. The suspense is largely absent, replaced by a predictable rhythm of plot twists and escalating conflicts that never truly grip the viewer.
The performances from the cast are equally unremarkable. Emile Hirsch delivers a rather bland portrayal of the lead, Andy, failing to inject much charisma or depth into the role. India Eisley is relegated to the damsel-in-distress trope, spending a significant portion of her screen time gagged and tied up. David Keith, Jackie Earle Haley, and Peter Facinelli appear to be vying for who can deliver the most “over-the-top” performance, resulting in caricatured portrayals rather than believable characters. Haley’s pronouncements about his ambition to open a cockfighting business provide a brief moment of dark humor, but it’s not enough to elevate the overall performances.
Ultimately, “Dead Money” feels like a modern-day B-movie – a low-budget filler designed to occupy a slot in a double feature rather than stand on its own merits. It lacks the essential ingredients that could have made it a memorable poker movie or a compelling crime thriller. While poker enthusiasts might find some fleeting interest in its depiction of the game, most viewers will likely find themselves wanting to fold long before the final hand is dealt. “Dead Money” is a cinematic gamble that, unfortunately, doesn’t pay off, leaving audiences with a sense of wasted potential – much like the very concept of “dead money” itself.
