I wouldn't describe Rounders as a
great movie. By which I mean, it's not Citizen Kane or anything.
In terms of the poker involved, it's probably the most up to date, because that's only because most movies that have involved poker, don't involve Hold'Em. I think the Cincinatti Kid is a better film (better written, better acted); the final hand is nonsense of course, but then so is Teddy KGB's "Oreo" tell, so perhaps that isn't as important as all that. In films, accuracy will always give way to the necessity of drama - and the ability to please a casual audience of non-poker-cognoscenti that knows what a straight flush is, but doesn't understand how unlikely it is to see one.
What is interesting to me though is how poker has invaded the public consciousness, with mainstream shows now having their main characters play Hold'Em at various junctures. For example, a recent episode of 'Lost' had two of its main characters (Jack and Sawyer) engage in a little friendly heads-up game; an episode of medical drama 'House' had Hugh Laurie showing up his co-workers in a poker tournament and explaining in laborious detail how he knows when people are bluffing or not.
I even saw an episode of a recent sitcom where one of the characters was lambasted for having no "life" after he admitted to playing poker on the internet during his weekend...
I suppose you can't win them all.
Author