Savannah Brychta

A restrained narrative about how people sort of tumble into each other’s lives, changing its direction irreversibly: a favorite theme of Anderson’s. Set against the baroque world of high stakes gambling cities (Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City), the small cast of core characters take a chance on each other instead. Their unclear motivations feel true to life, underlining the realistic risk of making human connections in a dog-eat-dog world. Well shot, moody in an understated way, and aesthetically immersive—Hard Eight announces Anderson’s style, quietly asserting his unique talent at the dawn of his career.