One of the first billiards movies I discovered, thanks to a great list compiled by Billiards Boys, is Stickmen, a 2001 pool hustling movie from New Zealand.  Among billiards movie enthusiasts, this is a well-known gem. But, I had never heard of it.

The basic premise is that a trio of fun-loving, wisecracking pool-playing mates unwittingly get pulled into an underground 8-ball doubles pool tournament run by “Daddy,” a nefarious hook-handed crime boss, to raise money in order to prevent a friend’s bar from having to sell his bar.

It’s not the most original plot, but director Hamish Rothwell has great fun with the movie, dialing up the speed, antics, and fast-talk, and introducing us to a supporting cast of memorable pool-players, including Caller, a pierced, bare-chested, crazy; the Men in Black (a duo of priests), and some lovely ladies. Any Guy Ritchie fan (e.g., Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) will appreciate the emulative, albeit less serious, cinematic style. But, fans of Doug Liman’s Go or Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run may equally savor the adrenaline-pumping, ticking time-bomb linear narrative.

Unfortunately, while it’s a highly enjoyable pool movie, the pool cinematography is downright disappointing.  The billiards-playing lacks authenticity, there is a disappointing paucity of difficult pool shots, and to my knowledge, there are no notable cameos from professional players (as there will be in future movies I review).

For those interested in watching Stickmen, it’s widely available to purchase on DVD.