By: debbie lynn elias
I love Vegas. Not only do I like to participate in a few of those skill games like Poker and Blackjack, but I get even more enjoyment watching a good game being played, particularly with poker where skill and the luck of the draw go hand in hand. Needless to say, when it was on tv, I was addicted to “Celebrity Poker” hosted by Phil Gordon and Dave Foley and will still catch night owl poker tourneys when I can. Having said that, I was more than intrigued when I first heard about Zak Penn’s THE GRAND. Nothing more elaborate than an improv format with some rather creative and even kooky characters telling their stories against the backdrop of The Grand Poker Tournament, the end result is nothing short of a winning hand thanks to a combination of comedy, characterization and some classy poker playing.
Despite the improvisational format, there is a core backstory. “Lucky” Faro was a Vegas legend. Owner of the Lucky Rabbits Foot Casino, harkening back to the days of Bugsy Siegel, he knew it all, saw it all and did it all. And all that he had, he left to his grandson, One Eyed Jack Faro, himself a pretty fine poker player and a grandson who loved and respected his grandfather. Unfortunately, Jack was pretty good at other things, too – drinking, gambling, drugs, enjoying life, and mortgaging the Lucky Rabbit to one, Steve Lavisch, real estate tycoon and developer of Lavisch Hotels. A permanent resident in a rehab center , Jack has stayed out of the lush life of Vegas – until now. Lavisch is about to raze the Lucky Rabbit unless Jack can pay off his loan. And for Jack, the only way possible is to enter – and win – The Grand Poker Tournament.
Starting with a cast of hundreds of players, we follow the trials and tribulations of perhaps 20 players before arriving at the final table of seven; seven lucky skilled people who have the chance to win Ten Million Dollars. One of the hottest competitors is Lainie Schwartzmann. Breadwinner of her family, she has earned a cool $3.8 million to date while her husband Fred capitalizes on his fame as a lightening strike survivor, designer of the round beach towel and is a devotee of Yahoo Fantasy Football, the draft pick round for which is the night Lainie plays for the title. Lainie’s brother Larry has also made it the final table, and although a formidable opponent, has to overcome an over-enthusiastic father who stands on the sidelines cheering on Lainie. A crowd favorite is LBJ Deuce Fairbanks. One of the last of old Vegas, he brings a class and maturity to the game missed on today’s youth. But Deuce isn’t alone in his memories as his old friend, The German, is also going for broke. The German is a creature unto himself. Passionate about his little white rabbit Munchkin, The German gets his strength and vitality from killing little things, like ants between his fingers. The smell of blood makes his blood flow. Which makes you wonder as he checks into the hotel what he plans to do with racks of cages of cute little mice. In a surprising and improbable move, amateur internet poker player Andy Andrews has made it to the finals. With his childlike innocence and goofball demeanor, you don’t quite know where he stands. Harold Melvin is a savant. Reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman’s Rainman, he is a genius who is doted upon by his mother Ruth as she responds to Harold’s excessive demands with the efficiency and attitude of a love starved woman. And then there’s Jack Faro.
I talked to writer/director Zak Penn about this impetus for this project. “I wanted to do an improvisational movie. I had done one already (“Incident at Loch Ness”). I wanted to do another. An ensemble comedy. And I wanted to do something more straightforward. A friend pitched me and said, ‘You should do that against the backdrop of a poker tournament’, while we were in the middle of a poker game, and I said, ‘You know what. You’re right. It’s a good idea.’” And so THE GRAND was born. But what makes this movie particularly intriguing and fun is, but for the specific characters, the entire film is improv giving it the freshness of a new deck of cards.
Initially casting the likes of Ben Affleck and William H. Macy, with one year down time and conflicting schedules, the cast of characters was like a changing roulette wheel until landing on not only some great comedians, but some great poker playing comedians. Reading like a “Who’s Who of Hollywood and Comedy”, Penn grabbed onto the likes of Cheryl Hines who plays Lainie, Woody Harrelson as One Eyed Jack (who told me during our interview he relies on “method acting” for his performance. . .when you see the film, you’ll see what he means!), Ray Romano as Fred, Chris Parnell as Harold, Dennis Farina as Deuce, Richard Kind as Andy, Gabe Kaplan as Seth Schwartzmann, Michael McKean as Steve Lavisch (who steals every scene he’s in), Estelle Harris as Ruth, and cameos by, among many many others, Brett Ratner, Hank Azaria, Shannon Elizabeth and Jason Alexander. However, the one unexpected role, legendary director Werner Herzog as The German who can only be described as commanding and creepy. Herzog agreed to come on board having seen Penn’s film “Incident at Loch Ness” which parodies Herzog. Unfortunately, one of Penn’s own poker playing buddies, David Schwimmer, who was attached to the project from the start, had to drop out to direct “Run, Fat Boy, Run” (which you’ll hear more about me in the coming weeks). And be on the lookout for some real pros gracing the tables as well as my fave commentator, Phil Gordon, together with a fall-on-the-floor-laugh-out- loud performance by Michael Karnow as Mike Werbe.
Having read thestoryline and the cast, hold on to your cards and chips for this factoid. All of the characterizations, relationships, demands, quirks, internal set-ups between characters, dialogue, actions – all of it – was improved during filming. With nothing but a detailed 30 page treatment in front of them, the cast began this venture knowing their characters’ names and perhaps a little background and were left to their own devices with the cameras rolling to develop the actual story. But don’t dismiss the double entendres and comedy of the characters names. More thought went into the naming of characters and their pairings than normally goes into an entire script.
I talked to writer/director Zak Penn about this impetus for this project. “I wanted to do an improvisational movie. I had done one already. I wanted to do another. An ensemble comedy. A friend pitched me and said, ‘You should do that against the backdrop of a poker tournament’, while we were in the middle of a poker game, and I said, ‘You know what. You’re right. It’s a good idea.’” And so THE GRAND was born. But what makes this movie particularly intriguing and fun is, but for the specific characters, the entire film is improv giving it the freshness of a new deck of cards.
As for the performances themselves, as I told him myself, Woody Harrelson is the most endearing ****up. You can’t help but like him. Richard Kind adds a nice twist and a classy touch to Andy Andrews. Ray Romano is, well, Ray Romano. Michael McKean is the essence of egomaniacal stupidity but is so funny, I think Penn needs to create an entire show based on Lavisch starring McKean. A sidenote for you – Cheryl Hines is an incredible poker player (as are all but Parnell); a fact of which she is very proud having never played before being invited to “Celebrity Poker” at which time she made it to the final two before finally losing to Dennis Rodman. Here, she plays with the same style and tact as in real life. Touche – on casting Hines!!
One of the most exciting and charming aspects of THE GRAND is the dynamic Penn creates with old and new Vegas. Something for which Penn is most proud, is that, I for one, noticed the touching sweetness of the film as it embraces not only the game of poker and the history of Vegas but even with jeans & t-shirts, goofs and nerds, it shows just how classy the game and its players are, much like the old days of Vegas when tuxes and gowns were worn and Manhattans, Martinis and Rob Roys graced the tables. He pays respectful homage to the origins of the town and provides a great factual narrative of history, mores and integrity. And another surprise – no one had any way of knowing how the final game would play out. Folks, they are all really playing poker up on that screen. No marked cards. No fixed decks. Real emotion. Real distractions. Real skill. All adds up for some real fun.
THE GRAND is a Royal Flush!!!
Woody Harrelson – One Eyed Jack Faro Cheryl Hines – Lainie Schwartzmann Ray Romano – Fred Marsh Chris Parnell – Harold Melvin Dennis Farina – LBJ Deuce Fairbanks Richard Kind – Andy Andews Michael McKean – Steve Lavisch The German – Werner Herzog
Directed by Zak Penn. Written by Zak Penn and Matt Bierman. (104 min)
