The Color of Money (1986) ★★★★
As I'm a big fan of The Hustler and Martin Scorsese's films, I've no idea why it's taken me so long to see this Scorsese-directed sequel to Robert Rossen's brilliant 1961 multiple Oscar-nominated film.
With excellent performances from Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,, superb direction from Scorsese, brilliant editing from Thelma Schoonmaker, and an extremely good soundtrack and music by Robbie Robertson, the film is technically brilliant.
It doesn't quite have the same relationships between the principal characters which made The Hustler so engrossing, though the tension between Newman's Eddie and Cruise's Vincent comes close to the rivalry 'Fast' Eddie had with Jackie Gleason's Minnesota Fats.
Even without the same small setting and claustrophobic photography – you could almost smell the cigarettes, sweat, and whisky when watching The Hustler – the journey (physical and mental) the characters take here is interesting and exciting, and Cruise really impresses with his skills on the pool table.
Overall, it's a very good film with some dazzling sequences and, though it's probably second-tier Scorsese – it's no Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas – it was a film I thoroughly enjoyed and will watch again soon.
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