Synopsis:

The Color Of Money picks up with Eddie many years after The Hustler.  Eddie has grey hair now and sells liquor to local bars to make his money instead of hustling.  He is content with his current cash cow, but something in him is awakened when Vincent Lauria enters his bar.

The Freak's Rating: B- : Paul Newman lit up the screen with his performance in The Hustler as Fast Eddie Felson.  The black and white cinematography is taught in film school with clips from that movie.  The scene with Eddie Felson playing pool against Minnesota Fats is also shown.  One of the film classes I took in college consisted of analyzing some of the best overall work in a scene, composing lighting, acting and editing to truly capture the audience attention.

Martin Scorsese decided to take on the sequel, The Color Of Money.  Scorsese's quick camera movements, such as the zoom-in close shots he likes to take of his leads are very apparent.  What is also obvious is that Scorsese isn't yet in top form when he created this one. 

Tom Cruise plays Vincent, an extremely cocky young pool hustler.  Eddie sees Vincent's flaws, but also embraces the raw talent and can't help but try to mold Vincent into the champion he never became.

Paul Newman is great, as always, and Tom Cruise is fun to watch at his arrogant best.  The Color Of Money is an adequate sequel, but nowhere near the film  Eddie was created in.  Still it is a decent Scorsese film worth of checking out if you are a Newman or Cruise.

comment here to add your review!