So let's clear some potentially mild confusion up before we get under way. You might be curious how a 2009 documentary on poker could be talking about 2011's 'Black Friday' that had yet to happen. Simple. A 2012 rerelease allowed them to cover this dark day. Otherwise 'All In' is a semi entertaining look into the game, but it has to be acknowledged it's aimed at people who are already fans and don't need to be convinced or converted.
From it's origins in the once scary world of illegal gambling, backrooms and the shady characters involved to the move to legitimacy, casinos and beyond during the game's boom. This does a stylish job of capturing the game and many of it's famous faces, fans as one big love song. Topics like the success of the WSOP, WPT, hole card cams, the "Moneymaker effect" and everyone's favorite poker movie 'Rounders' get hit on. Talk of the spirit of the game. What it means to different people and the themes underlying it. It might not always be deep stuff, but you see what the makers are going for at every turn.
Though like a lot of casual docs a "floating heads" style of interviews make up a massive majority and it isn't always inviting. The narrative here can be considered pretty loose at best and the things people have to say isn't always interesting. Add in some self promotion, an overly cheery tone and the appearance of faces who've since become disgraced in the poker world and you can see things aren't without fault.
I've never considered poker a sport like so many do here, but that doesn't matter. It's one of many examples of the positive vibes, attitude they're going for with 'All In'. A bit trying to demonstrate how poker is legitimately more popular than professional football made me laugh. Even when it launches into 'Black Friday' in the last fifteen minutes, the topic ends on an upbeat note. Poker fans (me included) will eat the sugar coating going on here to some degree, but others I'm not so sure.
