Review by Jon Donnis
After his film stealing scene in the recent Thor film, Russell Crowe is back directing and acting in Poker Face. No, it is not a film about a catchy Lady gaga song, instead it is a film about a yearly high stakes poker game between childhood friends.
Russell Crowe stars as tech billionaire and gambler Jake Foley, the film opens with some kids playing, a young Jake Foley is on his bike with his friend Drew, they end up playing cards with some other kids, then run away, jump off a cliff and into a lake. Fun times for these kids.
Fast forward to the present, and Jack has made his fortune through surveillance software. But Jack is dying, he goes to visit Shaman Bill (Jack Thompson), they both trip out on some drugs and a truth serum.
Before you know it, Jack has arranged for a poker night with some friends, he offers them the chance to win more money than they've ever dreamed of. But there is a catch, one of the friends is a liar who is having relations with someone in Jakes family, the other is a blackmail victim who wants to set Jake up, and Michael Nankervis (Liam Hemsworth) is suicidal and plans to kill himself. Jake has a plan to drug them all with the truth serum, challenge them all on their individual issues and make them face up to reality.
However just as things are getting going a group of thieves break into the house thinking it is empty, and want to steal all the priceless works of art. The old friends escape to a panic room, and will have to work together to survive.
The plot is a little all over the place, and I was never quite sure what the film wanted to be, was it supposed to be a come to Jesus' type film with old friends airing their dirty laundry and ultimately making up? Was it a heist film? Was it a survival film? It seems to be a bit of everything without ever settling on one thing.
It was great to see the lovely Brooke Satchwell as Nicole Foley, but sadly she is hardly in the film, another Neighbours alumni appears in the film too in Daniel MacPherson, so with the show being recommissioned by Amazon for next year, it was nice to see some classic stars in this film.
I like Russell Crowe and he gives a decent performance in Poker Face, I think the storyline is a bit of a mess, but the actors all do a great job and their is a positive message in there too.
The Good
Good performance by Russell Crowe, and always great to see Brooke Satchwell on our screens.
The Bad
Plot is all over the place.
Overall
This is a 82-minute film, it is easy to watch, and that short run time helps alleviate some of the plot issues.
Available now on Sky Cinema and you can pre-order it on amazon at https://amzn.to/3At5hs9
