The Grand

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Though it lacks the masterful touch of such Christopher Guest comedies as 1984's "This Is Spinal Tap" and 2000's "Best in Show," "The Grand" (Anchor Bay Entertainment) is a moderately amusing mock documentary about a televised poker tournament.

Addiction-prone Jack Faro (Woody Harrelson), down on his luck financially, is in danger of losing the Las Vegas casino he inherited from his colorful grandfather, Jimmy (Barry Corbin), to ambitious real estate developer Steve Lavisch (Michael McKean). Jack's one hope is to win the titular poker game with its prize of $10 million.

Competing with him for this purse is a collection of eccentrics: Brother and sister Larry and Lainie Schwartzman (David Cross and Cheryl Hines) have been relentless rivals for the attention of their hard-to-please father, Seth (Gabe Kaplan), since early childhood. L.B.J. "Deuce" Fairbanks (Dennis Farina) is a veteran gambler nostalgic for a more rough-and-tumble Las Vegas.

Andy Andrews (Richard Kind), a wide-eyed innocent, seems to be having an incredible run of beginner's luck, while socially inept Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell) -- in between throwing out obscure references to the science-fiction movie "Dune" -- obsessively keeps track of every card and every bid.

Strangest of all is the player known only as "The German" (renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog), whose hobby is killing small animals with his bare hands.

Co-writer and director Zak Penn's improvisational comedy takes a sly, deadpan approach to its characters' sometimes outrageous, sometimes banal behavior. But the film only scores laughs intermittently.

Parnell is a standout, as he sips on the health drink he calls "brain juice" and pursues his conflicted relationship with his overprotective mother, Ruth (Estelle Harris). Also memorable is Herzog's parody of Teutonic creepiness.

Many of the scenes, however, fall flat or trail off inconsequentially. "The Grand" also is burdened by a good deal of swearing and a number of off-color jokes, thus definitely precluding young viewers.

The film contains much rough, crude and crass language, three uses of profanity, some sexual humor, drug and prostitution references, and an obscene gesture. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops