Poolhall Junkies

Poolhall Junkies
Directed by	Mars Callahan
Written by	Mars Callahan Chris Corso
Produced by	Tucker Tooley Vincent Newman Karen Beninati
Starring	Mars Callahan Alison Eastwood Chazz Palminteri Michael Rosenbaum Ricky Schroder Rod Steiger Christopher Walken
Cinematography	Robert Morris
Edited by	James Tooley
Music by	Richard Glasser Charlie Terrell
Distributed by	Gold Circle Films and Samuel Goldwyn Films
Release dates	February 28, 2003
Running time	94 min
Language	English
Budget	US$4,000,000

Poolhall Junkies (2003) is a feature film written and directed by Mars Callahan. It is the story of a pool hustler who is opposed by Joe (his former mentor) and Joe's new prodigy, in a climactic big-stakes nine-ball [[Glossary of cue sports terms#

1. match|match]].

Plot

Orphan Johnny Doyle has had done little but play pool since his childhood. He is already beating advanced players in his teens, and everyone realizes he has natural talent. He wants to be the best player in the world, and gets accepted by a professional pool tour, with $100,000 as the first prize. A letter comes in the mail inviting him to participate, but Joe, his guardian and stakehorse throws it out secretly, wanting to raise him to be a real (and profitable for Joe) hustler. Fifteen years later, Johnny is indeed a well-trained hustler, living off gambled money, and on the rocks with his girlfriend Tara. He almost never loses, and bets thousands of dollars at a time. But he learns that Joe sold him out, and breaks with him. After his brother Danny and friends get in serious monetary trouble with Joe, Johnny has to put it all on the line (and while injured, from an altercation with Joe) against Joe's new protégé, a pro, with the backing of his girlfriend's uncle Mike and a pool-hall-owner buddy, Nick). All while trying to win Tara back.

Notable cast

• Mars Callahan as Johnny Doyle
• Chazz Palminteri as Joe
• Rod Steiger as Nick
• Michael Rosenbaum as Danny Doyle
• Rick Schroder as Brad
• Alison Eastwood as Tara
• Christopher Walken as Uncle Mike

References

• Poolhall Junkies at IMDb
• http://www.goldcirclefilms.com/movies/movie_pj.html