New Poker Movie "Win it All"

If you love poker, the odds are good that you also love movies about poker.

As such, you may want to click your way over to Netflix and check out "Win it All," which was released on the viewing platform just a few days ago. I happened to see promos about the movie, watched the trailer, became intrigued by the storyline, and settled in with some freshly popped popcorn in hopes of being entertained.

I was not disappointed.

The film focuses on the life of Eddie Garrett, played by Jake Johnson, who many viewers may know as one of the roommates of Zooey Deschanel on the sitcom "New Girl." Johnson co-wrote the film and uses his upbringing in the suburbs of Chicago as a backdrop.

Loser

Garrett is the proverbial down and out gambler with a dead-end job as a parking attendant for Cubs games at Wrigley field. He's basically going nowhere, not even to the Gamblers Anonymous meetings that deep down he knows he needs.

Your typical degen, Eddie's losses at poker and gambling pile up, yet he continues to avoid getting a real job, including working at the family landscaping business run by his brother, Ron (Joe Lo Truglio).

The plot thickens when Eddie returns to his apartment after another night of losing at the tables to find his friend/shylock Michael (Jose A. Garcia) sitting at his kitchen table. Michael is an unsavory, scary character who informs Eddie that he'll be going away for a 6-9 month stretch to Cook County Jail and he'd like Eddie to safekeep a duffel bag for him.

Predictable?

Garrett is promised $10K for his troubles following Michael's release, a sum that would be similar to hitting the lottery for the troubled gambler. Eddie is told to not even look in the bag, his only concern should be to make sure its contents are intact after Michael gets sprung.

Everybody watching knows what's coming next. I found myself thinking "this is too predictable," and sure enough, Eddie can't resist looking in the duffel bag, finding the money, and getting the bright idea to use the funds to try and make a killing at the racetrack and poker tables.

So the next logical direction of the plot is for Eddie to lose the money and to be in big trouble when Michael comes looking for him, right? Well, some of that happens, as Garrett punts off a portion of the cash, but the story actually veers in a different direction and turns out to be not as predictable as one might think.

Love Story

Of course, there has to be a love interest involved and Eddie meets a young lady named Eva (Aislinn Derbez) at a bar while the story is unfolding. She's a good woman, the kind that Garrett can see himself spending a lifetime with, so he tries the straight (non-gambling) life, including working a regular job as a landscaper with his brother.

Also in the picture is Eddie's Gamblers Anonymous sponsor Gene (Keegan-Michael Key), who isn't your typical sponsor considering that he laughs at Eddie for losing some of Michael's money, as well as suggesting ways of getting the lost money back that would make every other GA sponsor cringe.

At the risk of revealing too much, I can say no more. "Win it All" likely wouldn't appeal to folks who have no interest in poker and gambling. But for those of us who are somewhat immersed in that world, it's worth watching and I'd have to give it a thumbs up.