Goodinitsowncategory

NotmyfavoriteP.T.Andersonmovie,sinceasIpointedoutelsewhere,Iseethefather-sonobsessioninAmericanfilmsanintolerablecliche.Buttheactingisverystrong,andtheplot,inspiteofallthedrama,isquiteplausible.PhilipBakerHallhereplaysanagedandtiredprofessionalgambler,whotakesalostsoulunderhisold,tatteredwings,firstdrivenbyguilt,thenbygenuineaffection.Thelostsoul,convincinglyplayedbyJohnC.Reilly(thecopinquot;Magnoliaquot;),turnsouttobeawretchedloser,pronetoself-destruction.ThetensionofthefilmisbuiltonHalldiscoveringoneproblemafteranother,stoicallyacceptingthecardsFatedealshim,andmoveonwitharesolution.Themovieoftenfeelsliketakingsipsoutofacupofbitterandacidiccoffee,withonecigaretteafteranother,inaroadsidediner.Hey,whoscomplaining?