Hard Eight

An aging gambler named Sydney takes a down-on-his-luck young man named John under his wing after meeting him outside a diner, promising to teach him how to survive—and win—in Reno’s gambling scene. As a father-son bond forms between them, their relationship is tested when John falls for a troubled waitress. Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut work reveals the hallmarks of his later work: emotionally complex characters, a deep fascination with fractured relationships, and a striking visual style full of movement and atmosphere. Although overshadowed by the flashier action films of the 1990s, Hard Eight is a restrained, elegant, and quietly gripping drama that signals the arrival of a major filmmaking voice.