Just showing us what ex-sitcom stars and Bavarian directors do in their spare time isn't quite enough to justify The Grand, which does for poker what Best in Show did for dogs while completely avoiding any jokes about poker-playing canines.
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The Grand
Overview
The Grand is in the tradition of improvisational comedies like Best In Show and This Is Spinal Tap. The story is set in the world of professional poker and follows six players who reach the final table of the world’s second most famous high stakes tournament, the Grand Championship of Poker.
Director and cast
- Zak Penn Director
- Woody Harrelson as One Eyed Jack Faro
- Werner Herzog as The German
- Dennis Farina as L.B.J. Deuce Fairbanks
- David Cross as Larry Schwartzman
- Cheryl Hines as Lainie Schwartzman
- Richard Kind as Andy Andrews
- Chris Parnell as Harold Melvin
- Jason Alexander as Dr. Yakov Achmed
- Ray Romano as Fred Marsh
- Mike Epps as Reggie Marshall
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
There may be too many cooks here, too many TV stars trying to make an impression in a relatively high-profile independent film, but they connect just often enough to leave you smiling.
You eventually get the feeling that the actors are riffing mainly for each other. Their attitude is, 'We're talented, trust us, we know how to be funny,' but in the end, it's mostly just a bluff.
The film is not much more than a gusher of oddball character sketches and ricocheting gags, but its manic pace and over-the-top inventiveness make The Grand a solid bet.
It's hard to believe that a lineup so stellar could generate so few laughs, but there it is.
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