Rounders "To Smoke or not to Smoke"

[Kid Krow]

I just noticed something while watching rounders for my like billionth time tonight that Matt's Character Mike Smokes but there is only two times that fact is ever really shown. the first is when (lees then a minute in) he grabs a pack a p'mall and then right after he is Busted by KGB he and Kynish are out side talking about the Bad Brake he is smoking.

The question is did he give up smoking when he gave up poker or was this a cencor issue or what?.

I believe that Consistancy with the characters in a story is a big key to making believable characters. so if we see him smoke and see him get a pack of smokes, my mind says hay. he should at least smoke a few more time in the movie.

Don't get me wrong, The movie is great but that fact kinda bugs me... oh well guess I'll have to deal with it.

[JohnnyCache]

Smoking in a movie is a good way to bump yourself up a rating when you're right on the bubble of a pg-13, but that probably wasn't an issue for Rounders . . . I would theorize that Matt Damon doens't smoke, so he minimized it himself...or looked like a dipstick doing it, so they cut it.

[Kid Krow]

I just realized that I was mistaken on one of the part I mentioned. Matt Damon didn't not smoke, but that part where he grabs a pack a smokes that he doesn't smoke still bugs me.

Don't get me wrong it far more classy not to smoke, and it should not be an issue. the guy who edited may not have noticed that little bitty show, and I'm probly the only one who caught it, my mind is a stickeler for little details. I'm just woundering why have smokes if ya don't smoke. Filthy habbit anyways, and I should know, I'm a smoker...

[Nut Flush]

Was it when he was gathering up all his cash from all the hiding spots in his apartment? If so, there could have been some money in that pack of smokes, or he could keep his money in a pack of smokes in case he got mugged :D

[Muck]

Maybe it’s one of his tells so he doesn’t smoke while he plays (although he doesn’t smoke when he’s not playing either).

What about the cigar shop game, maybe it’s okay to show people enjoying smoking as long as they’re not significant characters and they lose at poker

[Kid Krow]

Was it when he was gathering up all his cash from all the hiding spots in his apartment? If so, there could have been some money in that pack of smokes, or he could keep his money in a pack of smokes in case he got mugged :D

Yeah, I guess so on the Anti-mugger issue, but then again how the hell is he gonna carry $30,000 in stacks of cash from his stash in one pack of smokes. Maby be a small stash of cash for coverall/extra exspences cash, but, it just make no sence. Kynish offered him a puff off his smoke at one point as if he knew that Mike was a smoker. anyways it's too much stressing over a little detail and it just unhealthy to even be so nitt picky over a stupid little flaw. So I'm giving it up...

Maybe it’s one of his tells so he doesn’t smoke while he plays (although he doesn’t smoke when he’s not playing either).

What about the cigar shop game, maybe it’s okay to show people enjoying smoking as long as they’re not significant characters and they lose at poker

Yeah "...it has earthy tones and enough kick to win both the high and the low..." or something like that.

Many people have told me my smoking was once seen as a Tell, but then where busted up by me when they saw it as a tell. others looked at me and figured it wasn't a tell whn I knew in the back of my mind that it was a tell and had folded to my bluffs.

This is a double edge sword that is for some of us as un reliable as asking a bum on the street to hold you (Only god know how much) $$$ Rolex. Besides, I've given up on trying to figure this one out and have decided it was a waist of time even stressing over it. The Movie is very well done hands down and I'll leave it at that...

This is my last post and the last time I'll look at this Topic. Thanks for the Ideas/help. Laters...

[Buffarino]

Smoking in a movie is a good way to bump yourself up a rating when you're right on the bubble of a pg-13, but that probably wasn't an issue for Rounders . . . I would theorize that Matt Damon doens't smoke, so he minimized it himself...or looked like a dipstick doing it, so they cut it.

He actually has a 2 pack a day habit and is trying to quit.

[krakajak]

My theory is that either he only smoked when he played, or maybe he used the cigs as props to give off false tells. After he quit playing, he stopped smoking, and didn't bother to resume his habit when he went back to playing.

And as for the cig after the loss to KGB, that figures. If I just lost 45 grand in one hand, I might want a cigarette whether I smoked or not.

[JohnnyCache]

OK, I watch the commentary with the director: Apparently it is very taboo to smoke on a hollywood movie set nowadays because of union rules and anti-smoking sentiment, but wasn't when rounders was made - hence all the smoking on the set...but I actually always assumed Mike smoked, the way I assume he must drop a duece a couple times during the movie...I mean, they show a toothbrush in his bathroom and they don't show him using it