Plot: What’s it about?
After she was dealt defeat at the blackjack tables, Stacy (Andra Millian) and her friend Jean decide to give the tables one more run. This time, Stacy finds herself on the winning end of the draw, and she couldn’t be more pleased with the turn of events. While she is enjoying her winnings, she is greeted by Will Bonner (Kevin Costner) who claims to be a master of the casinos, and sees some serious talent within Stacy. As if his promises of riches upon riches aren’t enough, Stacy thinks he’s the cutest of the cute, which can’t hurt his chances. Will offers to show Stacy the ins and outs of the blackjack business, and soon she seems to be unbeatable. When she returns to the casino and uses her own skill with Will’s system, she walks out with twelve thousand dollars in winnings. This irks the casino’s pit boss, who decides to take matters into his own hands. The youngsters managed to win inside the casino, but will their methods cause them to lose outside of it?
When this disc arrived on my doorstep, I had no idea what to expect, other than Kevin Costner in his first leading role. That’s leading role, we all know about his work in Sizzlebeach, USA, ok? While I am not that impressed with the movie, I do think it was worth the time to check it out. I am not geared toward cards or gambling, which might have something to do with why this film didn’t stick to me. Perhaps those of you more inclined toward the casinos will relate to an angle here that I didn’t. The writing is pretty good, and the performances are decent as well. I didn’t expect much from this movie, but it surprised me at how good it was. I recommend this film as a rental to those who love Costner or blackjack, as you’ll be pleased with the results.
This movie was directed by Jim Wilson, who served as producer for some films you might have heard of. Those films include The Bodyguard, The Postman, Message in a Bottle, Dances With Wolves, and Wyatt Earp. Wait a second…all those films feature Kevin Costner! This film was written by Michael Blake, who also penned novel and cowrote the screenplay for Dances With Wolves…the other cowriter? Kevin Costner. Man, that guy has connections everywhere I swear! Speaking of Costner, he gives a decent turn in this movie, showing small signs of his future success. If you’re a Costner fanatic, this flick is a must see. The supporting cast includes Andra Millian (Love Potion No. 9), Eve Lilith, Mike Reynolds (Tornado Run, 8 Men After), Ed Semenza, and Cheryl Ferris.
Video: How does it look?
Stacy’s Knights is presented in a full frame transfer. I wasn’t able to track down the original aspect ratio, so I am unsure of any image loss. If image loss was present, I could not tell by watching the film. The transfer is decent, but falls short in many places. Color is rich, and flesh tones are natural, but at times the shades can distort, although to a minor degree. The main drawback with this visual presentation is the contrast, which seems balanced on the dark side a little too much, obscuring detail in some scenes. But for a movie like this, I am pleased just to find it released, so I will go easy on the transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This isn’t the type of movie you watch for the audio, so don’t expect miracles here. Dialogue is the main focus here, and this mix makes sure every word comes through loud and clear. There are some effects and music, and those manage to sound good as well. Not the most impressive track, but very good for this type of film.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes very cool animated talent files and a slide show of stills from the movie.
