Deal

Following on the heels of “21,” “Deal” is a similar movie from director Gil Cates Jr. about a college student-cum-card shark who wins millions in Las Vegas casinos. But “Deal” fails to capture the fast-paced glamour of high-stakes gambling that made “21” an entertaining (albeit superficial) movie. “Deal” does accomplish one feat, however: it presents an oddly dull view of one of the most entertaining card games in existence—poker.

In “Deal,” Cates revisits the world of gambling that was the subject of his 2000 film “$pent,” which portrayed the broken world of a gambler. That film’s narrative fell apart by trying to weave together too many loose ends; “Deal” collapses at the other extreme, failing to explore the inner lives of its characters and trudging along slowly.

Bret Harrison moves from a string of TV sitcom appearances to the big screen as Alex Stillman, a recent Yale graduate who pursues his dream of becoming a professional poker player. But his easy success in online poker tournaments does not translate to the professional poker circuit until he unexpectedly meets Tommy Vinson (Burt Reynolds), a retired poker star.

Vinson becomes Stillman’s mentor, receiving half of his mentee’s winnings in exchange for guidance. They are successful until the arrival of Michelle (Shannon Elizabeth), a Las Vegas call girl who causes a rift between the two. The tension between Stillman and Vinson mounts as both enter the World Series of Poker Tournament and end up face-to-face at the final table.

Several big-name poker players appear as themselves in the film, including Phil “The Unabomber” Laak and Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari. Actress Jennifer Tilly, who won the 2005 Ladies No Limit Hold’em competition, plays Karen “Razor” Jones. Although she is only featured in a few scenes, Tilly gives by far the best performance in the film, using her acting skills and gambling know-how to capture the sassiness and charisma of a professional poker player.

If Cates had left Laak, Esfandiari, and Tilly to their own game of poker and simply kept the camera rolling, he would have made a more interesting film than “Deal.” These players, known for their personalities, would have been far more dynamic than the dull Stillman and Vinson, who undergo very little change or growth throughout this unsuccessful coming-of-age story. Stillman, who is painfully shy at the beginning, does develop the courage to talk to women by the end of the film—but becoming a man is about more than learning how to pick up chicks.

Harrison’s fresh, energetic portrayal of Stillman comes across on screen, but his role is limited by simple dialogue and an uninteresting storyline. Reynolds seems to realize his character’s lack of depth and submits to it, presenting the same blank facial expression when his wife leaves him as he does at the poker table.

“Deal” is not a bet worth taking. For actual entertainment, turn on the World Series of Poker on ESPN. After all, it’s free.