Hard Eight
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- Trailer for Hard Eight (01:43)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
A stranger mentors a young, troubled Reno gambler.
Cast
- Philip Baker Hall
- John C. Reilly
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Samuel L. Jackson
- F. William Parker
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Nathanael Cooper
- Wynn White
- Robert Ridgely
- Kathleen Campbell
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.6
184.0K
64.0K
46.9K
- Jun 6, 2020
philip seymour hoffman gives one of the finest & most singular single scene performances ever
nickusenJan 12, 2018Watching this on the heels of Phantom Thread (PTA's eighth film!) highlights how cleanly you can separate his career into equal Early and Later halves. Both films are shining examples of the early and late Anderson. Hard Eight has emotional man-children reaching out for…
Matthew ChristmanApr 8, 2021I just learned that Paul Thomas Anderson was 24 when he made this and almost gave it one star out of spite.
Casey Malone - Sep 10, 2013
Let's talk about titles. Hard Eight vs. Sydney. As a lot of people know, Sydney was PTA's chosen title for a film about, well, a guy named Sydney. Fair enough, and admirable in its simplicity. However, this being his first feature, the story goes that, in order for greater…
PTAbroSep 10, 2025Hard Eight? More like Hard Left, did not see some of these plot developments coming
James (Schaffrillas)Feb 19, 2014This is the start. The start of one of the greatest track-records of any filmmaker. The absolute visionary and master who is Paul Thomas Anderson. Many cite Hard Eight (Sydney) as PTA's weakest film, and I have to disagree. Hard Eight may be more low key, less flashy and…
SilentDawn - Nov 17, 2021
Never ignore a man's courtesy.
Josh LewisDec 17, 2020SHAKA-LAKKA-DOO SHAKA-LAKKA-DOOBEY-DOOBEY-DOO
sanDec 13, 2014An exceptional debut from a filmmaker who was clearly a master of the art from the very beginning.
Ryan Francis
Queue Community Reviews
84%
Community 978
Top Reviews
- Thomas Joyce likedHard Eight
I can’t believe this is a debut. At just 25 years old, PTA was already dishing out confident direction to a stacked cast like a pro. Philip Baker Hall is incredible here; he plays Sydney with a cold exterior, but the softness and care toward John & Clementine allow the film to peel back the…
Julian Sanchez is "meh" onHard EightThis is a great example from the beginning of PTA’s career to show how he was still trying to find his voice as a director. Not a movie I’d ever care to see again, but I can appreciate getting context for PTA’s evolution into the director he is today.
cassius casanova is "meh" onHard Eightyeah sydney was nice up until he realized that the dummies he as helping out were bigger idiots than he gave them credit for, i understand his demeanor change after that. his killing rampage at the end was cool especially the samuel L Jackson kill
- nevan likedHard Eight
a pretty stellar film debut from legend pta that has since been heavily overshadowed by his greater works. the script is amazing as are the performances; with a higher budget, the narrative would’ve been more engaging and active. rip hoffman
Justin likedHard EightThis was surprisingly good for a debut film. Not as good as some of the other films I’ve seen by Paul Thomas Anderson but I still enjoyed it.
Payge Eminovski is "meh" onHard EightThis movie feels like the set up movie to other amazing classic films but this one misses the mark :(
- Wagner Freitas lovedHard Eight
Swear to you that some narratives just have the power to make your heart feel right at home!
DarkStarSpace likedHard EightSolid movie. Wasn’t great, but was solid.
Donny G lovedHard EightUnderrated early PTA w incredible cast
Atom Users Reviews
Metacritic
We accept the sincerity and altruistic motives of the aging loner he (Philip Baker Hall) portrays in this consciously spare Nevada-set sleeper. [13 March 1997, p. 8D]
Mike Clark
USA Today
Hall, one of our least appreciated great actors, is mesmerizing as Sydney.
Russell Smith
Austin Chronicle
Movies like Hard Eight remind me of what original, compelling characters the movies can sometimes give us.
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hard Eight (1997) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Hard Eight (1997)?
The movie is 1hr 41min long.
What's Hard Eight (1997) about?
A stranger mentors a young, troubled Reno gambler.
Who's the cast of Hard Eight (1997)?
- Philip Baker Hall as Sydney
- John C. Reilly as John
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Clementine
- Samuel L. Jackson as Jimmy
- F. William Parker as Hostage
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Young Craps Player
- Nathanael Cooper as Restroom Attendant
- Wynn White as Waitress
- Robert Ridgely as Keno Bar Manager
- Kathleen Campbell as Keno Girl
Who's the director behind Hard Eight (1997)?
Paul Thomas Anderson directed Hard Eight (1997).
Who produced Hard Eight (1997)?
Robert Jones and John S. Lyons produced Hard Eight (1997).
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