I’m a sucker for a good story. Always have been.
I grew up listening to my Dad’s stories – some of them multiple times – and never getting tired of them. There was always this great undercurrent of comedy without the story itself being overly jokey.
Stories can also be a powerful teaching tool.
I love that this story works on a couple different levels. First, getting a little more depth and information on the movie Rounders is always welcome. While I won’t say that it’s a perfect movie, it’s pretty damn close in that it tells the story it set out to tell, is chock full of compelling characters, and has little to no fat at all.
Second, the idea of Damon being the one person in the room who thinks that something is very amiss while everyone else is lost in blind adulation for Malkovich – the esteemed actor everyone has been waiting on. That’s a scene in a whole other movie of its own.
Third, the nugget of wisdom that Malkovich passes along by messing with everyone. He knows how people react in situations and has gained some degree of self realization on the matter and has decided to use that information to screw with other people.
So… yeah. Don’t start buying your own press and find the people who are going to tell it to you honestly.
And make sure they stick around.