Hard Eight

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Category: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actors:

Philip Baker Hall .... Sydney
John C. Reilly .... John
Gwyneth Paltrow .... Clementine
Samuel L. Jackson .... Jimmy
F. William Parker .... Hostage
Philip Seymour Hoffman .... Young Craps Player (as Phillip Seymour Hoffman)
Nathanael Cooper .... Restroom Attendant
Wynn White .... Waitress
Robert Ridgely .... Keno Bar Manager
Kathleen Campbell .... Keno Girl
Michael J. Rowe .... Pit Boss
Peter D'Allesandro .... Bartender
Steve Blane .... Stickman
Xaleese .... Cocktail Waitress
Melora Walters .... Jimmy's Girl

Synopsis:

Boogie Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson's first film charts the relationship between reckless youth John (John C. Reilly) and world-weary card shark Sydney (Philip Baker Hall), who takes John under his wing after showing him how to exploit the casinos' perks. Years later, the surrogate father and son are successful gamblers until John falls for a cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow) and gets mixed up with a shady stranger (Samuel L. Jackson).