Hard Eight

almost a love. rlly good cast rlly good acting . good plot. the camera work and suspense with music stand out. the cinematography and the way the camera moves in scenes is just amazing. def a good movie worth watching. 7.5/10

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 tough-guy persona. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives perhaps the all-time, single-scene performance - an unbelievable performer.

The Anderson DNA is present all the way back here, especially in those long, dialogue-heavy scenes that remain so impressively engaging - very PTA coded. This focus makes Hard Eight feel tightly character-driven, forcing you to cling to the details, so when eventual revelations unfold, their impact is that much greater.

By no means a favourite of Anderson’s, but I’m impressed by the restraint on display. I think it’d have been easy as a young director to have this cast, this opportunity and go a bit nuts. But PTA keeps the story reserved and honest, the film is better as a result.