Haik Sahakian
Sharm Holding
Poker AM
One of 2012's most popular comedies, "Poker AM" takes the lives of ordinary people and puts them in high stake situations. One man, Mousegh, is preparing for the biggest moment of his quiet life, proposing to his girlfriend. He promises her that he will be home in time for dinner, but a series of unfortunate events interrupts his important night. Being the main character in a witty Armenian comedy, Mousegh, sets himself up for failure several times without realizing his mistakes. A beautifully dangerous woman, who is the accomplice of an organized crime boss known as the Ace, causes a big conflict that shakes up everyone's plans. Captivated by her beauty and apprehensive during a test drive, the woman toys with Mousegh and tells him to fetch her flowers from the side of the road. By letting his guard down, Mousegh allows the thief to drive away with the car and now has a situation in his hands.
With little time to spare, Mousegh must think on his feet as highway flower sellers think he is a threat to their business. However, another woman who is also in a rush saves Mousegh just in time leaving the dopy flower vendors frustrated, "that is how modern technology works. You initiate an accident, and then you sell flowers." After quickly rescuing a complete stranger, Victoria drops off the wandering lost "Chuzzle" without any concern, because she needs to be at the Mazda dealership so that her powerful boyfriend Bagratich, trusts her alibi like she told him on the phone. She shows Mousegh a very dismissive attitude so she can get rid of him. In response he try's to charm her, but comes off cheesy, which is typical of this restaurant server pretending to be a singer. He tells Victoria that the bouquet he picked is for her and she throws them out the car window and goes straight to the car dealership only to find the man she just deserted bizarrely at the dealership too.
From scene to scene, there will always be a character that picks up a phone to explain their location to someone who wants to know where they are. I thought that the constant conversation between once person and their close ones from a distance was very clever. My own family in Armenia bothers me with calls daily and I saw a relation to how an Armenian family is always connected whether or not you are with each other. In the movie's case, not only does the constant talk make characters believe they are aware of ongoing events, but becomes painfully funny when someone is caught in their lies. A friend of Mousegh's and a Mazda employee, Garik is being scolded by his boss for losing the car. The boss asks Garik while interrogating him "I just don't get one thing. Why didn't you call the police or me?" "Grigor answers, "I left my phone in the car", and the phone in his pocket rings at that exact moment.
Now Grigor and Mousegh both face difficult circumstances and must do whatever they can to redeem themselves to resolve the trouble that has happened. Girgor has been busy competing in an online poker tournament called, in hopes of winning and traveling to Tblisi, Georgia to be in a live poker tournament with bigger possible outcomes. But part of the punishment for losing the car restricts him from going across the border, even if somehow he won the online tournament. So he puts all his chips and trust on Mousegh. While it is courageous of Mousegh to try and help his friend with his problem, he has no experience playing poker. He is lousy at the start but with the help of poker masters and words of encouragement, he builds the skill and the attitude of a true card player and becomes a contender for the regional tournament. Starting as a measly "Seven of Spades" and not seeming to have any success whatsoever, Mousegh shows that when the chips are down, he puts the cards he is dealt with to good use. Mousegh is heartbroken when his "Queen of Hearts" Anna, thinks she has been lied to and cheated on the whole time and dumps him. But, Mousegh does not give up hope of marrying the only true woman in his life or help his good friend fulfill his dream and knows that he can make it right by taking down the "Ace of Spades" and becoming the "King of Poker". I admire the movie for its humor even though it is a bit different than what I am accustomed to as an American movie-viewer. It had a well-scripted dialogue that poked fun at hot topics In our country, but I saw no problem with that. It also was full of ironic puns that the characters had to dig themselves out of in creative ways. I give Poker AM 8 Kebabs out of 10!
