This hidden gem of a film really surprised me! Obviously the only previous reviewer was watching a different movie because a lot of his facts are incorrect. "High Stakes" is a terrific character driven story about flawed characters, but really intriguing characters. It is sort of along the lines of "After Hours" with a bit of "Something Wild" . The acting is way, way, above the normal for a low budget dramatic thriller. Sally Kirkland plays a single mother stripper/hooker and is totally a free spirit. She becomes involved with Robert Lupone, a Wall Street tycoon in a weekend of kidnapping and murder. He is the ultimate risk taker winning or losing millions in the stock market, and his showdown game of Russian roulette with Kirklands pimp, an amazing performance by Richard Lynch, is extremely tense. Other than at times getting a bit talky, the film has few faults, and will be "pure gold" to viewers willing to take a risk on it. - MERK
