Inevitably, things take a turn for the worse when Mike gets over-confident and risks his entire bankroll of $30,000 on a risky hand.Īs a result, Mike quits playing poker and commits himself to earning an honest living – partly to placate his parents and his girlfriend. However, he goes down the wrong path to quest for glory and starts playing Texas Hold ‘Em in underground poker rooms. Mike dreams of competing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
Rounders centres on Matt Damon’s character Mike McDermott, a law student who’s a gifted poker player. Let’s take a look at what made Rounders a well-known and well-loved American drama on the 20 th anniversary of its cinematic release. The name ‘rounder’ referred to someone who travels from city-to-city seeking high-stakes poker games.īox Office takings were slightly underwhelming for the film on its initial release – only $22.9 million – but just like the Shawshank Redemption and other mainstream flops, Rounders went on to become a cult classic years after its release. The film, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, focused on the dirty side of underground poker. It’s 20 years since Rounders was released to widespread critical acclaim.
