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Shade
2003 101 min United States of America R 18+
★6.4
Action, Thriller, Crime
Director: Damian Nieman
Trailers
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EN
Description
Tiffany, Charlie and Vernon are con artists looking to up the ante from their typical scams. They figure a good way of doing this is taking down Dean "The Dean" Stevens, a well-known cardsharp, in a rigged game. However, they first need enough money to enter a game with Stevens, so they decide to strike a deal with fellow crook Larry Jennings to scam a local gangster -- which turns out to be a bad idea.
Budget:
$6.8M
US Gross:
$25,032
Starring
Joe Nicolo
Actor
Carl Mazzocone Sr.
Actor
George Tovar
Actor
Key opinion
Shade is a modest, stylish gambling thriller that draws mixed reactions due to its heavy reliance on genre clichés. While fans of the genre appreciate the twist-heavy plot and vibrant depiction of card-shark subculture, others find the narrative absurd, hollow, and lacking in genuine tension.
| Production | The film utilizes vivid, stylish visual cues like close-ups of cards and cash to effectively immerse viewers in the world of card hustlers. | |
| Originality | The narrative relies heavily on standard gambling genre tropes and a predictable structure, failing to offer a fresh take on the heist subgenre. | |
| Acting | Performances are divisive: some find the cast well-chosen and engaging, while others criticize specific actors for delivering monotone performances or feel the big-name stars are underutilized. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the script are split; some viewers enjoy the intricate web of betrayals and the unexpected ending, whereas others dismiss the plot as nonsensical and filled with shallow character beats. |