'Deal'

Rating:

BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS | Chicago Tribune

April 25, 2008

In an industry built on someone getting a raw deal, few deals have been rawer than the post-"Boogie Nights" career of Burt Reynolds. He was marvelous as the patriarchal porn king in that film, and while the actor lined up plenty of work in the wake of his "Boogie Nights" Oscar nomination, none of it mattered as much.

"Deal" matters least of all. It stars Reynolds as "retired poker legend" Tommy Vinson, who takes a callow Yalie (Bret Harrison) under his wing, with the intention of teaching him a little something about the game, about life, about the art of the "tell."

Reynolds does less than no acting in this role, and he's still the best thing in "Deal." Even now he has movie stardom in his bones. He does, for the record, look pretty odd, given the dubious plastic surgery of late. In "Deal," when Reynolds sits there behind his sunglasses (usually indoors), his arms uncomfortably folded, it's as if he's trying to keep everything together, lest some of that facial work go flooey.

The film features Shannon Elizabeth as a Vegas chippy, and various real-life poker fixtures playing themselves or versions of themselves, notably Jennifer Tilly as "Razor." Co-writer and director Gil Cates Jr. sure loves his old-school poker ethos. Too bad the chips fall where they do.

DEAL. (PG-13). Burt Reynolds plays a retired star. Hmmm. Casting genius? Well, he plays a retired poker star. Also starring Charles Durning, Shannon Elizabeth, Jennifer Tilly and Bret Harrison. Directed by Gil Cates Jr. 1:26. (for language, sexual content and brief drug use). At area theaters.