A stranger mentors a young Reno gambler who weds a hooker and befriends a vulgar casino regular.
Acting
Philip Baker Hall carries decades of regret in every measured pause.
Direction
PTA's confident debut, already obsessed with lonely men and surrogate families.
Writing
Every line of dialogue is a tiny negotiation, a small con.
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
PTA expanded his 1993 short film Cigarettes & Coffee into this feature. The original 20-minute short also starred Philip Baker Hall.
The studio forced the title change from Sydney to Hard Eight—a gambling term that completely misses the point of the character study.
US
