Before you watch this film, watch Baltimore Bullet (1980), with James Coburn and Omar Shariff. If Color of Money isn't a copy of Bullet, then theft doesn't exist. The story, the theme, the characters, all were there eight years before. Bullet was a comedy/drama, with great action scenes and lines any script would die for. Color left out the humor, the action, the lines, along with hubris. Color is a showcase front for Newman and Cruise, nothing more. It captures nothing of the world of pool hustling, whereas Bullet is in the middle, down to the exact method of betting. In Bullet, a svelte and hilarious Michael Lerner almost steals the movie. In Color, the popcorn stole the show. Is there something redeeming about the Color? Well, we only have so many minutes in life, and I wouldn't recommend using any of them on this dog. Woof woof. Scorcese attempts to make a film not a movie. Believe me, all involved with this project are at the top of my personal favorites list, but every dog has its day, and this one had too many.
Review of The Color of Money
