The game of poker features some of the finest ingredients for a hit movie. Think about it - the average match includes the high stakes, tense face offs, and unpredictable results that could prove killer on the silver screen. That’s before one gets into the history of poker, from its origins in the Wild West to underground games and the eventual boom of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and online games. There’s clearly something for everyone when it comes to poker movies, even for those who can’t tell a high card from a royal flush.
In this blog post we’re going to celebrate our twin loves of poker and cinema with our list of our favourite poker movies. If you’re an aficionado of either then there’s a good chance that you’ve watched at least a few of our choices, but we still hope to surprise you at some point! Do let us know which ones are your favourites, not to mention if we’ve missed any true classic in this genre.
Our list is not in any particular order with the exception of our first choice, which is a film just about everyone agrees is the very best poker film out there.
Ireland Poker Sites Offers
Advertiser Disclosure: At Gambling Zone, we may earn a referral commission if you sign up through links on our site. This helps support our work and does not influence our independent reviews or ratings.
Rounders
There’s one film one must start a best poker movies of all time list with, and that is Rounders. Released back in 1998, Rounders remains a definitive look into the boom years of the WSOP. It stars Matt Demon as Mike McDermot, a reformed poker prodigy who ends up returning to the game in order to help his buddy Worm (Edward Norton) get out of loan shark troubles. The result is a series of high stakes matches against some colourful players, the most memorable of which being John Malkovich’s turn as the Russian Teddy KGB and two-time WSOP Main Event champion Johnny Chan.
Rounders was not only a great film, but an inspiration for a new generation of players who got into the game just as the WSOP was at its peak. It shows a keen understanding of the game, as it talks about bankroll management, tilt, table selection, and reading opponents. Poker is shown as a game that’s as much about skill and strategy as it is about luck, and remains a must watch for all poker fans.
The Cincinnati Kid
1965’s The Cincinnati Kid is, in a lot of ways, the predecessor to Rounders. This one takes on the pre-WSOP high stakes five-card stud poker world, with Steve McQueen as young gun Eric Stoner, aka “The Kid,” determined to take on the master himself, Edward G. Robinson’s reigning champion Lancey Howard, aka “The Man.” Add Ann-Margret as a femme fatale and you get a poker cinema classic that culminates with a legendary final hand. This sees The Kid’s Aces Full go down to The Man’s straight flush, something the film depicts as an issue of skill, not luck.
Many argue about the realism of that final hand to this very day, but one cannot deny the film’s tension and quotable script. “You're good, Kid. But as long as I'm around, you're second best. And you might as well learn to live with it,” Lancey says at one point. Indeed!
Casino Royale
Casino Royale
While not exactly a poker film, Casino Royale brought poker to a global audience in 2006, which is why it is so high in this list. Traditionally James Bond’s game of choice is baccarat, the boom in popularity of the WSOP saw Bond switch games to Texas Hold’em. The game actually represents the crux of the film’s plot, which has Bond (Daniel Craig) participate in a winner-takes-all Texas Hold ‘em tournament in order to bankrupt terrorist financier Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). Like the action in any Bond film the poker gameplay is hardly realistic, but the scene setting, performances, and tension are superb, making for a true rider of a film.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
High Roller tells the story of poker’s most tragic figures - Stu Ungar, one of the only two players to win the WSOP main event three times. Ungar won the Main Event in 1980 and 1981, before making a comeback in 1997 - only to be found dead a year later in a cheap hotel room in Las Vegas, the probable result of a lifetime of drug abuse. The film covers the man’s life, from his upbringing in New York as the son of a bookie to his arrival in Sin City, where legendary wins made way to his eventual demise. The Sopranos’ Michael Imperioli portrays Ungar beautifully, while the poker scenes bring a sense of the strategies required to play at the highest level.
Molly’s Game
Another biographical film, Molly’s Game revolves around Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a young woman who dropped law school in favour of running exclusive high-stakes poker games for celebrities, businessmen and pros in Los Angeles. The money soon started to flow but it quickly led to attention from the FBI. We’re adding this one for its unique perspective on the game; not the players but the organisers, not to mention the glitz, glamour, and occasional grimness such high-stakes games involve.
All In for Poker Cinema!
All In for Poker Cinema!
Poker is as cinematic as casino games can get, which is why it’s been the subject for so many films. Every hand in a match contains drama, each decision leads to consequence, and every player brings a story to the table. The best poker movies aren’t just about the cards - they explore why people play, why they risk, and what they are willing to lose. Such films capture different aspects of the game we love, so shuffle up, deal, and enjoy revisiting the best poker movies of all time.
