Newcomer Mars Callahan gives us a glimpse into the world of pool hustlers,
in a film that resembles both The Hustler and The Color of Money. Granted
Poolhall Junkies is far lighter than those films, going for a tone that is quite reminiscent of Swingers and Good Will Hunting (although this project was first written nearly eleven years ago).

Callahan plays the hustler in question, a likable guy who, despite trying to leave pool behind, always finds himself back in the game. He certainly possesses the talent to be one of the best, but doesn't always seem to have the confidence. Chazz Palminterri is his father figure, a sleaze ball of a man who uses Callahan to get ahead in life. Allison Eastwood is a bore as Callahan's love interest. An energetic and scene stealing Christopher Walken shows up as Eastwood's uncle and Callahan's confidence booster.

Poolhall Junkies has it's share of flaws. When the film is in the pool hall, it pulsates with liveliness and a true love of the game, but when it strays away and turns to stories of relationships and other such drama, the picture falls flat.

The pool sequences are impressive in that we are given many wide shots of
players shooting so that we actually see the ball being hit and going into the pocket. No intrusive editing here. Callahan is a real pool player and he has a knack for the lingo and feel of the game (although much of the cinematography and editing style here remind me of the works of Martin
Scorsese). Christopher Walken has one of the most talked about shots in the
game, and even co-star Rick Schroder holds his own.

In the end, Poolhall Junkies plays like an underdog movie. It's sort of like Rocky playing pool. Callahan the actor and director is adequate. He shows much knowledge when concentrating on the game but his dramatic range is limited. Callahan the pool expert, however, is the reason to see the movie. It's hard to watch the last seconds of this movie and not get a smile on your face. Even though I knew who would win the big game, I was satisfied with the conclusion.