Opiniones de usuarios

Sydney is an old gambler who shows kindness to a man he meets outside a diner. He helps out John by lending him £50 and then teaching him enough about gambling to make his way. Two years later finds John loyally sticking with John and adoring him. However, their relationship is put under pressure when John hooks up with Clementine, a cocktail waitress who also turns tricks and Jimmy, a low life with no respect for Sydney.

Although it was pretty badly treated in the UK and mostly ignored and overlooked, the success of Anderson's films since has given many a reason to look back on Hard Eight (the much better but less meaningful title given it for the UK release) and `discover' it. It certainly is an impressive film and it is difficult to see why it received neither financial or critic success when it was released. The plot is deceptive - starting as a character piece, changing violently with a series of twists and then reverting back to the character piece we started with.

The film is totally driven by it's characters and they are very well written to the point that we care about them even before we really know all about them. The title `Sydney' is more meaningful simply because the film is pretty much all about Sydney himself. He is a kind man and we wonder why but are gradually won over his gentle nature. This makes the second half of the film more thrilling simply because we think we know Sydney but then he has to do things we think are not in him. Anderson directs with a remarkable assurance; he has style and a real sense of framing. He mixes close ups with wider shots using the fluorescent lighting of the gambling joints to good effect - his direction is as good here as it was in his other, more acclaimed films.

The main thing that makes this film so good though, is the cast. Hall is excellent; I cannot stress how good he is here - his character is well written but it is Hall that makes it work so well with a performance that is subtle and controlled. Reilly is a great character actor and he does the same here with a hangdog expression and put upon attitude. Paltrow is very good for someone whom people seem to have forgotten can actually act. Her Clementine is more complex that first appears. However despite her good work, I think that Paltrow's limited screen time actually helps the film - she is not the focus here. Jackson is his usual cool self and turns in a memorable performance while Anderson even has a part for Hoffman.

I can imagine some people will not like this film: it is talky for long sections and it ends with questions to be answered - this may frustrate some people but for me I felt it allowed me to think for myself and use what I had learnt about Sydney. This is a surprisingly mature film from such a young director and one that you owe it to yourself to undercover in retrospect.

I adore and respect the opening scene. All stories need to start somewhere, and this one started with style, in a setting that most of us have frequented...a Denny's Restaurant basically.

Throughout the film, we are made acutely aware of the precious value of food, a bed, coffee, cigarettes, cable movies, and companionship, for someone who has been deprived these things before. Most of us probably take them for granted,unless we have been down-and-out like one of the film's protagonists.

But think about how relieved you feel on a long road trip, when you stop at a motel, and partake of these things, after being trapped in your car for hours. They satiate us and bring a sense of domestic tranquility.

I needed more character development. Sorry, to those who loved this film. I get the fact that it was a portrayal of "outsider" life and the casino-bubble, but I still needed to know a bit more about how these people became who they are. The plot device of not knowing why the hell Hall is being a caretaker, worked for a while, but eventually I became annoyed with guessing.

The final explanation was anti-climatic and cheap. Come on, you can do better than that.

Hoffman stole the show with his very brief cameo. Jackson was his usual profane loudmouth stereotype. Hall and Reilly did not have to stretch much, but they were still quite adept at portraying unspoken sadness. I'm not a fan of Paltrow, but she conveyed the torn nature of her character quite well.

One other reviewer mentioned the fact that sometimes the characters don't know what to say, but that made it realistic. I totally agree. Real people rarely speak like movie characters. But in this one, the characters did speak like real people. Great job with that.

There were enough good aspects to this film, to make it worth seeing. But it is a labor to watch after a while, because not much happens, and not much is said. If you like art films, you will probably like this one. It reminded me of the work of Jim Jarmusch.

Though he is best known for two ambitious ensemble pieces such as Boogie Nights and Magnolia, writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson was first noticed thanks to a low-key, unpretentious character study, a gem called Sydney.

The film takes its title from the main character, a lonely elder man played by Philip Baker Hall. At a diner he runs into John (John C. Reilly), a poor fella who has just lost all his money. Sydney buys him coffee, and after a little chat he persuades him to come to Reno. Once there, they manage to get a free room and under Sydney's tutelage John quickly becomes a successful gambler. All's well until he falls in love with Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a waitress and part-time prostitute, and trouble ensues with a gangster named Jimmy, meaning Sydney will have to come up with something extreme to save his protégé.

For a first-time director Anderson shows great skills and confidence: even though he doesn't do much but follow four characters, he frames each shot to perfection and proves he is every bit as good as Scorsese at staging tracking shots (a thing he perfected on his next two features). But style doesn't really matter here: the important thing is that the audience cares for the story, and this essentially happens courtesy of sublime dialogue and great acting.

Anderson fought really hard to keep the movie's original title (and partially failed, which is why the film is known as Hard Eight in some countries), and the reason is clear from the beginning: the picture rests entirely on Hall's shoulders, and he carries it admirably. His performance is nuanced and genuine, and he manages to ensnare the viewer even when we are not sure what his motives are (and once they are revealed, it is not that important). Reilly is equally good, in a turn that opened his way to becoming one of the most reliable character actors in Hollywood, and the same intensity emerges from Paltrow and Jackson, the latter in particular adding extra dramatic flesh to what could have been a rehash of his more famous roles (Pulp Fiction etc.). Even Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has a brief but memorable role as a cocky gambler, gets his opportunity to shine, showing beyond any doubt that Anderson has a great eye for casting. He also knows how to write: the dialogue flows freely and seamlessly between the players, spawning some of the most affecting, realistic conversations ever heard in a movie, although the director can't resist the temptation to insert a couple of in-jokes as well (in one scene, Hall mentions two characters he wound up playing in Boogie Nights and Magnolia).

Overall, a very good film, and a must-see for PT Anderson fans: like many other directors who rose to fame in the '90s (Tarantino, Rodriguez, Bryan Singer) he proved right from the start what he was capable of, and has never disappointed the audience since that.

In the years following his debut effort (based off a short film he had made previously), American director Paul Thomas Anderson would go on to craft some of the best films of the modern era and earn his place amongst the all-time greats of the cinematic landscape.

Magnolia, Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master and Phantom Thread are all films that for various reasons could be considered classics, meticulously crafted efforts that could only come from the mind of a talented genius, a genius unafraid to push boundaries in his quest to achieve greatness in his chosen field.

The journey of Anderson is still alive and well today but over 24 years ago the journey started in a small way with the character driven Hard Eight, a film rarely spoken about and little seen but one that shows glimmers of the director that was to emerge in the aftermath of its small-scale release.

Teaming up with his eventual Magnolia/Boogie Nights stars Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hard Eight see's Anderson tackling the gambling scene as Hall's mysterious elder statesman Sydney takes Reilly's down on his luck John under his wing and guides him in ways in which he can come out on top in the gambling world, a situation that is seemingly going along well enough until Gwyneth Paltrow's waitress Clementine and Samuel L. Jackson's loud mouth Jimmy come into the picture.

There's a lot of mystery in the film early on as we are left wondering why Sydney has randomly decided to spend time with John and how Sydney knows the ins and outs of cheating the system but they're not questions Anderson is too interested in pursuing as Hard Eight takes a fairly strong change of direction around the half way mark when things in the lives of Sydney and John take a turn for the more chaotic.

Alongside soon to be regular D.O.P Robert Elswit (who would go onto achieve great things with There Will Be Blood, The Town and Nightcrawler), Hard Eight feels in many ways like an Anderson film with its long cuts, moody set pieces and flawed characters but it never takes us to any real places of interest as the initial intrigue we feel towards the story begins to dampen as we become aware of the more generic and expected nature of the film at hand.

During Hard Eight's brief 90 minute run-time are some nice performances from Hall and Reilly in particular, while Anderson's snarky dialogue is found in moments throughout the film but Hard Eight is the stereotypical debut film, one with ambition and aims but one not as refined or as smart as it thinks it is, an unpolished gem that offers only a foretaste of what's to come from its creator.

Final Say -

An interesting watch for Anderson fans, Hard Eight is far from a bad film but its a highly forgettable one, one that started out a filmography that has become anything but.

3 trays of coins out of 5

Paul Thomas Anderson's first film, Sydney (titled 'Hard Eight' by the distributors), has a story, but its more concerned about the characters, and how these actors play them. Like its inspiration, Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob le Flambeur, understanding who these people are in this seedy, desperate environment, is the key. The script is intelligent, and contains a truth that isn't found in most "off-beat" crime films. In fact, the crimes in the film, while not without the importance to the story, is secondary to how these people are around one another, the courtesy, the un-said things, the mishaps, and the truths. In tune with Melville, the film is decidedly European- the story is quite leisurely, almost too much so, but in the characters Anderson has created and fleshed out he has people we can care about.

Philip Baker Hall, in a towering performance of professionalism (he's one of those great character actors who practically wears the years of his life on his face, not to sound pretentious about it), is the title character of Sydney. He offers Jimmy (John C. Reilly, believable in a role seemingly more like himself than his Reed Rothchild in Anderson's Boogie Nights) a cigarette and a cup of coffee, and then finds out through the conversation his mother's passed on. He offers up an intricate, but rewarding, way of making money in a casino without laying down a card (the slots, and a different scheme). Flash ahead two years later (awesome transition, by the way) where Jimmy is with Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow, a good performance). Things seem to be going alright all around, except that Jimmy has a violent (shown off-screen, of course) run-in, and needs Sydney's help. But there's another secret that has yet to be told.

All the little details of the story are accentuated by a directorial style that is usually peerless, and the tracking shots that have become paramount in Anderson's films (i.e. opening of Boogie Nights, walking through TV studio in Magnolia) are as smooth and interesting as anything from Scorsese. The Vegas Muzak is a touch that adds, like with Melville, a cool kind of touch not at all un-like film-noir. It's actually a thin line that Anderson is walking; how to make the Melville story's elements (an aging gambler past his prime, watching over the young people in their own messes, seeing the old turn to new) as one's own. I think he's achieved that in the film with a sense of sincerity with the characters dialog with each other. Perhaps Sydney has a different agenda than just being friendly. But Anderson wisely allows Hall to make the right choices with just certain facial expressions, what isn't said that counts. And the scenes with Samuel L. Jackson bring out the kind of intensity, sometimes quiet sometimes not, that hallmark his best performances. Maybe not a masterpiece, but it certainly isn't the work of an amateur, assured in his own script as a director, and in the strengths of his four key players.

I found this movie to be very well directed, edited, and acted. I loved the look of the whole movie. But what was missing was a coherent plot. Too many ridiculous coincidences that make no sense. Worth a watch, as plenty of people seem not too disappointed in the story, but it could have, and should have had a more logical plot. PS Hoffman does his usual scene stealing stuff, and that 5 minutes may be enough reason to watch it.

Philip Baker Hall's Sidney kept me riveted from the first scene to the last. He play the mesmerizing, enigmatic title character with rare mastery and grace. The supporting characters are no slouches either. John C. Reilly is marvelous as Sidney's sweet, if somewhat slow witted protege. Samuel Jackson could have easily coasted on this one, simply repeating a performance from any of a number of previous tough guy types. Instead he creates an entirely new character, one with a reptilian quality not seen in his usual thugs. Even Gwenyth Paltrow is unusually strong as Clem, the waitress who wants it understood that, even if she sometimes sleeps with men for money, she is definitely NOT a prostitute.

I've been a fan of PT Anderson for a while now, and this film gave me new insight into why it is I like him so much. Anderson is that great rarity in modern filmmaking, an actor's director. He gathers terrific actors and inspires them to career-topping performances. There's no fiendishly complex plot here, no nailbiting suspense, no big payoff at the end. Just marvelous actors making the most of an excellent script.

Perhaps it's unsurprising that Paul Thomas Anderson's often overlooked first film is a meandering, coincidence-conscious neo-noir. 'Hard Eight (1996)' clearly shares the same DNA as much of the now well-renowned director's work, particularly 'Magnolia (1999)' and 'Boogie Nights (1997)'. In some ways, the piece doesn't really seem to be about anything. However, it's primarily a character-study of Philip Baker Hall's somewhat enigmatic Sydney and, as such, has more than enough substance to keep you engaged throughout. The plot does come in distinct chunks but it's delivered at a decent pace and it's never predictable. The chemistry between the two leads makes for some endearingly entertaining sequences, with the 'fun' of the duo's gambling cheats being aptly conveyed. Things do begin to feel a little stale, but a twist shakes things up right when they're at their least interesting. After this, the flick piles subtle revelation on subtle revelation to make for an unconventionally exciting final act. It all gets a bit mysterious, in a way. You can't quite put your finger on what the climax is supposed to be saying; then again, it may not be saying anything at all. Overall, this is a solid first effort. It's not conventional or exactly enthralling, but it's well-conceived and enjoyable nevertheless. 7/10

Excellent movie. Excellent actors. I like the calm flow of the movie. Dialogs are strong: very realistic, not cultivated in a predictable and

understandable main stream drama form. The hostage scene is brilliant. In many movies the characters

react in a movie-like way, shaped in how the characters would

react if...too cultivated, mostly showcases for actors to show how

emotional and brilliant they can play their roles. In this movie the characters many times don't know what to say or

how to react and that's brilliant in my opinion. In real life you don't have strong and powerful one-liners at hand. But still it is a movie and put into a form, a calm and understated,

but brilliant form.

I really enjoyed Boogie Nights, as it seems most people have, and I totally hated Magnolia. I feel asleep twice trying to watch Punch Drink Love and have since given up. So the other night I thought it was finally time to watch Hard Eight and see what all the fuss was about.

Throughout the entire film I was left waiting for some real character development, or maybe some characters with an IQ greater than 35. Yes, Sydney seems cool and really deep, but in fact we never get to know anything more about him, what makes him tick, or how he actually makes his money. Who is this guy? Who are any of these people? Why do I care? Characters don't have to be super smart or crafty or ultra deep to be likable or interesting, but when all they add up to at the end of the day are a bunch of sketches about as thin as playing cards, it really makes you realize you're watching a very amateur or at least poorly written film. Such great acting talent is wasted here on performances that look and feel right out of a theatrical stage play or a student film trying to play on the level of Pulp Fiction, but with massively undeveloped characters, motivations, and plot turns that are totally arbitrary or just downright illogical. We never get any real back-story about anyone until almost the end of the film and many of the most interesting questions about what motivates these people are never answered. Instead we are left with what amounts to a collection of scenes that fail to tell a compelling or evolved story with only one major twist that comes out way too late.

Hard Eight is essentially a great short film or one act play with enough character development appropriate for those formats, but as a feature it simply lacks enough subject matter and overall development to be anything more than a sketch of a film with a threadbare storyline and one-sided, unidentifiable characters who end up reacting more like animals than humans.

Philip Seymour Hoffman despite having only one scene still manages to steal the show.

Hard Eight (1996/Paul Thomas Anderson) ***1/2 out of ****

The camera opens to a diner called "Jack's Coffee Shop". A semi is pulling out of the parking lot. After it pulls away, two people are revealed. A young man sitting by the door with his face to the ground, and an older man who is walking towards him. Even though we can't see his face, we know he is old, just by the way he moves. He asks the young man if he would like some coffee and cigarettes. And this is how Paul Thomas Anderson's first film begins.

"Hard Eight" is about a down and out loser named John (John C. Reilly), who sits outside a diner, until he is encountered by a mysterious old man named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall). Sydney offers him $50, and a lesson in gambling. Before to long, they are in Reno, making lots of money. Then two people get in the way of their friendship: Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a hooker/waitress; and Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), a mischievous security guard who seems to be hiding something.

I never thought that Paul Thomas Anderson could make such a grounded film with substance. His usual films are flashy ensembles, and they move fast. But "Hard Eight" is a different story. It is a slow paced Film Noir, that is both quiet and observant. The cinematography is drab, and the direction is tranquil. Philip Baker Hall and Paltrow turn in good performances. But it is Jackson who really shines. The twist could have been over done, but instead, it is handled nicely and effectively.

"Hard Eight" is by far one of the most interesting character studies of the 90's. I like this cool side of Anderson, and I wish he would use it more often than his usual over the top formula (although I like both). This is no classic, but I found it worth buying.

-30-

There's not much to say about this movie. It seems like a test. It's not bad but the plot doesn't make any sense, it seems like a test film for what was to come later, Paul Thomas Anderson cinema is incredible, but this film is forgettable. It's well filmed but the acting is a bit silly, it starts with many premises and doesn't finish any of them. At least for me, I didn't connect with any of the characters, John C. Reilly was the worst choice for the lead role, Philip Seymour Hoffman would have been a better choice, if their roles had been reversed this movie would have shined more. Forgettable.

This first film from Paul Thomas Anderson shows the promise he would later fulfill with BOOGIE NIGHTS. The writing here is as sharp as it was in the later film, but it must be said as a director, he sometimes lets scenes go on too long (ironic that BOOGIE NIGHTS, which is a longer film, is also a tighter one). The main connection between both films is Anderson's obvious affection for his characters. Also the relationship between Sydney and John doesn't turn out the way you'd expect. And Anderson is to be commended for avoiding melodrama.

Philip Baker Hall is one of those actors who you may not know by name, but when you see him you instinctively feel he's right for the part, no matter how small. This is one of his rare leading roles, and he's perfect, showing the character's success and also his loneliness, without sentimentalizing it. John C. Reilly is properly eager and naive as John. Samuel L. Jackson is dependable here, and Gwyneth Paltrow proves she doesn't need a British accent to give a good performance. She and Jackson should also be commended for backing Anderson when he had problems with the studio.

Gambler Sydney (Philip Baker Hall) meets down-and-out John (John C. Reilly). He offers to drive John back to Vegas and teach how to work the system. Two years later in Reno, he's talking with cocktail waitress Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow) when he is spotted by John with his new shady friend Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson).

This is a Paul Thomas Anderson film before his bigger hits. It's his first full length effort after his short Cigarettes & Coffee. Philip Baker Hall returns to an expansion of that world. The first half is a bit slow and I'm not sure about the Sydney character. I don't know why he's helping John. He should give a reason no matter how flimsy. The movie can always change it later. The midway point has a crazy section and that perks me right up. The reveals start rolling.

Paul Thomas Anderson's first movie and wow what an entrance to make. Its refreshing to see a film maker making films with characters that you care about and fine dialogue. Why dont people talk in movies any more? If you think the same watch this film. This film is an absolute treat right from the opening scene, a true hidden gem which didnt even get a release in the UK!!! You will see some of the finest performances in film and be warned you will remember these characters for the rest of your life. 10/10 awsome!

'Hard Eight' may not be one of Paul Thomas Anderson's best, his later films being more complex and more refined, but even when Anderson was not at his best he was much better than most directors in that position.

For a feature film debut, 'Hard Eight' is still very promising. It does have moments of lethargic moments, the odd clunkiness and the ending is somewhat anti-climactic, but the potential seen throughout the film is enormous and from the start it is obvious that 'Hard Eight' knows its own strengths and makes the most out of them.

It looks impeccable, even when not very experienced in directing at this particular point Anderson's distinctive style is evident here with the long takes and tracking shots that suggest a Martin Scorsese influence. It's a beautifully shot film, and even if not as refined as his later films Anderson shows great promise as a director, showing a knack for visual style and excellent direction of actors. The music is suitably atmospheric, sometimes quirky, sometimes ominous and sometimes elegant.

Much of the script is very naturalistic and remarkably feels like the characters are talking like real people. It's tautly structured and thought-provoking too. 'Hard Eight' is a film quite light on plot, but rich in characterisation, not a bad thing considering that it is essentially a character study. The storytelling is still quite nicely done though, and while the characters are not the easiest to like there is a compelling realism about them and they're interesting.

Phillip Baker-Hall is magnetic in the lead role, in a performance of towering sincerity, while John C. Reilly matches him very well with an appealing gawky charm, Gwyneth Paltrow is charming and moving and Samuel L. Jackson brings plenty of flesh and succeeds in making the character too much of a retread of previous characters. Philip Seymour Hoffmann makes a very entertaining if somewhat too brief appearance.

Overall, very promising debut from Anderson though he went on to even better things with meatier material and an even more refined style. As is evident from the superb 'Boogie Nights'. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Strong performances all around here - Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, and Samuel L. Jackson - they all have really fine moments, and Philip Seymour Hoffman chips in a good one in his brief appearance too. The film is rather languorous, but it gradually reveals the rationale for why this old guy has taken a down on his luck gambler under his wing. It's still a pretty simple plot and felt like it could have had more punch though. On top of it, Reilly's character is such a weak dimwit that he's a little irritating to watch. Overall not bad though, and worth watching.

"Sydney" is the first film from director Paul Thomas Anderson better known as the director of "Boogie Nights", this years loathed and loved "Magnolia" and several Fiona Apple videos. This film is essentially about a man who seems to pick up kids off the street (John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow) and teach them the ways of the casino and gambling and helps them out. Sydney knows everything about everything, the man is flawless, or is he? Paltrow is good as a waitress who just can't stop prostituing herself. Reilly is funny and sweet as John the serrogant son of Sydney. Jackson is slimey, sleazy and somehow likeable as only Jackson can be. And of course Philip Baker Hall as Sydney is amazing. "Sydney" is merely a taste of what was to come from this young director. There are some long steadicam shots and there is the funny, Tarantinoish (minus much of the swearing and less pop culture references) dialogue. Anderson knows how to use a camera and editing to their full effect and make a scene that could be boring if directed by anyone else, exciting. Look for cameos from many future Andersonites (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robert Ridgely) The film is a cut above most crime thrillers, this one is more light hearted (for a crime movie, it's not light hearted for say a romantic comedy, no no :), funny and even touching in some parts. If you are a fan of Anderson rent this, see how he has increased his creativity and grown on his talents since this film. If you are not a fan of Anderson rent this, cause if the things you didn't like about Magnolia were the long running time and some pointless steadicam shots, you'll be happy to see this one is little over 1 hour 40 min and only has several long steadicam shots that are used for a reason. Listen for the great score by "Boogie Nights" composer Michael Penn and "Magnolia" composer Jon Brion and a Christmas song at the end credits by Penn and his wife, "Magnolia" soundtrack star Aimee Mann.