Home / Poolhall Junkies

Poolhall Junkies

Year:

2003

Duration:

99 min

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

IMDB rate:

Director:

Mars Callahan

Awards:

1 nomination

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2003-03-21

Filming Locations: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Earnings

Budget: $4,000,000

Opening Weekend: $301,856 (USA) (2 March 2003)

Gross: $562,059 (USA) (23 March 2003)

Cast

Actor

Character

Anson Mount

Chazz Palminteri

Joe

Ricky Schroder

Brad (as Rick Schroder)

Rod Steiger

Nick

Michael Rosenbaum

Danny

Mars Callahan

Johnny

Alison Eastwood

Tara

Phillip Glasser

Max

Glenn Plummer

Chico

Richard Portnow

Toupee Jay

Ernie Reyes Jr.

Tang

Peter Mark Richman

Phillip

Christopher Walken

Mike

Mike Massey

Louis

Orien Richman

Brett

Shannon Engemann

Beth

Peter Dobson

Cory

Kristina Santoro

Scarlet

Michelle Ainge

Party Girl

Jerry North

Red

Bojesse Christopher

Noah

Nathan Stevens

Kid

Mick E. Jones

Rags

Billy Lamb

Bill

John-Paul Salisbury

Moose

Chato

Spaniard

Stephen Book

Laurence

Michael Aronin

Jack Caine

Gino Dentie

Merv

Robert Scott McCloud

Teenager

Dimitrius Deslis

Greek

Chris Corso

Houseman

Lissa Pallo

Female Pro

Harry Lee

Band Member

Diane Beam

Party Guest

John Best

Pool Shark

Barby Garcia

Pool Girl (uncredited)

Frank Gerrish

Big Guy (uncredited)

Michael C. Jones

Extra (uncredited)

Scott Nankivel

Bobby (uncredited)

Brian A. Schwartz

Brian (uncredited)

Gavin Sheehan

Pool Shark (uncredited)

Steve Short

Boston Shorty (uncredited)

Charlie Terrell

Guitar Player In Club Band (uncredited)

Vien Voraotsady

Teenager (uncredited)

Greg Wayne

Pool Shark (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

In real life Mars Callahan is an accomplished pool player who met co-writer Chris Corso in a pool hall where each was trying to hustle the other. After a bitterly contested game (neither will tell who actually won) the two became best friends. Swapping war stories about their mutual experiences playing pool, the two decided to write a script based on their experiences and observations. Two weeks later the script was completed, but it would take another ten years to get it to the big screen.

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There were no camera tricks or special film editing used for any of the billiards shots in the film, although many of the special "trick shots" (other than the one above) were performed by billiards legend 'Robert LeBlanc', who appears as professional "Bobby LeBlanc" in the film.

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The band scene was filmed at the Dead Goat Saloon in the Arrowhead Plaza in Salt Lake City, Utah. The only differences between the movie version and the real saloon are the drapes behind the band and that the dance floor does not have round tables.

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Goofs

When Johnny and Brad are playing their final game, there is a wide shot that shows Uncle Mike in the background, before he shows up.

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Immediately after John and Mike walk into the two on two game at the party, Phil shoots the 8 ball into the far corner pocket. Right before saying 'that's how we do it!', the 8 ball's shown rolling slowly from Phil's original position.

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The indoor scenes of Johnny's local pool hall "Hard Times" is shot at Hard Times in Sacramento and has no windows. The exterior shots are of a Salt Lake pool hall which have many noticeable vertical windows.

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Quotes

Johnny Doyle: The poolhall's a great equalizer. In the poolhall, nobody cares how old you are, how young you are, what color your skin is or how much money you've got in your pocket... It's about how you move. And I remember this kid once who could move around a pool table like nobody had ever seen. I mean, hour after hour, rack after rack, his shots just went in. The cue was part of his arm and the balls had eyes. And the thing that made him so good was... He thought he could never miss. I know, 'cause that kid was me.

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Joe: You beat them, you take their money, you call them names to their faces... and they love you. I don't know how you do it. I never saw anything like it. Beating a man out of his money, that's easy. Anybody can do that. But beating a man out of his money and making him like it... that's an art. That's an art of a true hustler.

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Mike: I'm gonna leave you with nothing.

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