Rounders (1998)

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Screenplay Genre: Crime / Drama

Movie Time: 121 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Having given up poker nine months earlier after losing $30k to Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), law student Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) makes a delivery to Abe Petrovsky (Martin Landau) during one of the legendary judges' poker games. Mike starts raising for Petrovsky and then bets Judge Marinacci (Tom Aldredge) a summer internship that he can guess the hand Marinacci is holding. To everyone's amazement, Mike is able to guess everyone's hands. They invite him to join the game, but Mike tells them he doesn't play cards, sticking to his promise to stay retired from poker even though it would be easy money. (00:14:40)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

After picking up Lester “Worm” Murphy (Edward Norton) from prison and making some easy money scamming a poker game, Mike drops Worm off at the Chesterfield poker club in the city and tells his friend Petra (Famke Janssen) to take care of Worm. Worm urges Mike to play, but Mike declines. After Mike leaves, Worm asks for $2k, telling Petra that Mike is good for the money. (00:33:16)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

Petra arrives at Mike's place while he is watching a tape of poker great Johnny Chan at the '88 World Series. Petra informs Mike that Worm has run up a $7k tab under Mike's name. Mike tells Petra to cut Worm off, then offers her $1k in a show of good faith. (1:05:50)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Mike and Worm are caught cheating while playing with a group of cops. They are beaten and robbed of all the money they owe Grama (Michael Rispoli), and then Worm tells Mike that Grama is bankrolled by Teddy KGB. Worm plans to leave the city, but Mike decides to face the music. He asks his friend and mentor Joey Knish (John Turturro) for money, but Knish tells Mike he can't help him this time. (1:31:37)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Mike finally beats Teddy KGB in a round of poker and has enough money to pay his debt, but just as he is about to cash in his chips, Teddy KGB goads Mike into letting it all ride, and Mike sits back down for another all or nothing round, his life on the line once again. (1:44:13)

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