I didn’t know whether to be aroused or to have a nervous breakdown, but I’m a pervert so don’t listen to me.
Obsessive gambler Pike has hit rock bottom and can’t come up with the ends to pay off Pappy, his bookie. So, Pappy and Cole, a female acquaintance of Pike’s, devise one last bet that could free him of his debt. The name of the game is Nine Ball. If Pike wins, his debt to Pappy is wiped clean. If he loses, he has to screw Cole for an hour while Pappy watches.
I wouldn’t mind watching some post Nine Ball screwing, especially since this isn’t a rape type situation. The idea was Cole’s and throughout the film she keeps an air of confidence about her as she watches Pike sink ball after ball. So it didn’t seem like a big deal and, confidentially, I was kinda hopin’ that Pike would lose. But then the film starts getting uncomfortable as the final game winds down. Both Pike and Cole are now visibly nervous and so was I. This change of attitude suddenly had me rooting for Pike. What the hell’s wrong with me? I’m always rooting for something seedy to happen in films and here’s a rather seedy situation and I’m voting for it not to go down. Well, that’s just how convincing these characters are in their plight. Match that with how well this film is shot, you just can’t help but feel tense. I go have heart attack now.
