Gambling, Revenge, And Greed: A Stylish Must-See Crime Epic From South Korea
I've long been a fan of the slick South Korean crime drama "Tazza: The High Rollers" and I'm pleased that it's finally getting a belated North American debut. The film was initially released in 2006 and did quite well both critically and popularly. When it played in America on the festival circuit, for example, it won Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Feature at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2007. Not exactly the Oscars, I know, but someone besides me must have liked it! Gritty, excessively violent, and absolutely ruthless, perhaps "Tazza: The High Rollers" isn't for everyone. But for those that like to explore the seamy underbelly of the dark side of life, the universal concepts of greed, corruption, and power positioning remain intact. And, as you might expect, power and brutality in the criminal underworld are inextricably intertwined and "Tazza" doesn't shy away from an explicit gruesomeness this relationship creates.
Boiled down to...
Fine Bunch of High Rollers
Super cool film about Korean card gambling, Hwatwu - game of flowers. Ace performances, brisk edting and direction, and a moral core. Players with honor above seduction of money. Loads of violence - you play, you pay. You get caught cheating, you're dead. Much more substantial that director Choi's next crime-robber film, the blocjbuser The Thieves. Tazza has more grit. Cool movie.
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