One of two gambling films that came out that year in Hollywood the other being California Split. This has James Caan who is excellent playing a James Toback surrogate: Jewish prince (to use an expression from Pauline Kael), educated professor of literature, playing hoops with blacks. impossibly glamorous girlfriend (Lauren Hutton), hanging with the mob, ripping off his rich parents.
It's watching someone sabotage their life over 90 minutes which isn't always easy, to put it lightly, and a better actor than Hutton might've added some more edge to her part, but it does feel real, Caan is superb (his wound up energy works well), the editing and music are interesting, ditto Karel Reisz's direction, there's a lively support cast including Paul Sorvino and James Woods.
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