Paul Newman deservedly won the best actor Oscar for this terrific drama in which he reprises the role of “Fast” Eddie Felson, the pool shark he played in 1961’s The Hustler.
Here, the ageing liquor salesman and former pool hustler takes on pushy pupil Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise) and both learn a trick or two about life and each other as Felson prepares his prodigy for a national tournament in Atlantic City.
The confrontational climax never quite convinces, but Richard Price’s knockout script is one to treasure and director Martin Scorsese brings his trademark visual style to bear on the production.
Oscar-nominated Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio puts in an accomplished performance as the naive Cruise’s knowing girlfriend and look out, too, for Forest Whitaker in a supporting role as a young pool hustler and a brief cameo from Iggy Pop.
“Fast” Eddie Felson
Paul Newman Vincent Lauria
Tom Cruise Carmen
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Janelle
Helen Shaver Julian
John Turturro Orvis
Bill Cobbs Earl at Chalkies
Robert Agins Grady Seasons
Keith McCready Casino band singer
Carol Messing Duke
Steve Mizerak Moselle
Bruce A Young Kennedy
Alvin Anastasia Chuck, the bartender
Joe Guastaferro Amos
Forest Whitaker Skinny player on the road
Iggy Pop
Director
Martin Scorsese
Related Posts
Ed Wood (1994) Tim Burton's Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp as Wood, brilliantly reconstructs the sleazy side of 1950s Hollywood, and is a sympathetic…
King of Comedy, The (1983) Of all Martin Scorsese's outings with sparring partner Robert DeNiro, this is the strangest. He plays Rupert Pupkin, a desperate…
48 Hours (1982) 48 Hours is a Clint Eastwood movie without Clint Eastwood in it. Instead, it's got Nick Nolte, looking puffy and out…
Endless Love (1981) Director Franco Zeffirelli did a castration job on Endless Love, reducing Scott Spencer's 1979 best-seller about the nature of sexual obsession…
Cocktail (1988) After moving to New York, materialistic, on-the-make Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) becomes disillusioned when wealth and a glamorous job fail…
All The Right Moves (1983) Ambitious high-school football player, Stef Djordjevic (Tom Cruise) and his girlfriend (Lea Thompson) dream of winning the college scholarships that will enable…
Campus Man (1987) In an effort to meet tuition costs, Todd Barret (John Dye) an enterprising Arizona State student and aspiring businessman convinces his…
Risky Business (1983) "My name is Joel Goodson. I deal in human fulfilment. I grossed over $8,000 in one night. Isn't life grand?!"…
