by MATTHEW HAYS

Just what we needed: another sophomoric entry into the world of men's men, light on grey matter and heavy on the testosterone. This time, the feature is Poolhall Junkies, and the strife and struggle of one young working-class male is mapped out over the game of pool. Mars Callahan stars (and also directs and cowrites) as a tough young pool hustler who's brilliant enough at the game to win some cool hard cash for his mentor, played by Chazz Palminteri (a wicked actor we've seen far too little of in the past few years).

Then come all the clichés, almost not worth listing here as they're so well-trodden: the girlfriend from another class (one above that of Callahan); the double-crossings; the antics among the younger lads, who form the kind of camaraderie only seen in movies like this one. Most annoying is the last mentioned cliché, which allows for a series of tremendously inane exchanges between the fellas, wherein they discuss their feelings about nailing the opposite sex. These are fairly dire attempts at humour.

Predictably, the film has some of those pool-cue-cam shots, making this film look kinda like a low-rent version of Scorsese's The Color of Money. Trouble is, that film had a brilliant character tension built between Newman and Cruise. Despite the glowing cast assembled here - including Rick Schroder, Christopher Walken and Rod Steiger (in what must be the late incomparable actor's last film) - Poolhall Junkies simply feels inane and inconsistent.

Worse still is the subplot about Callahan's lady friend (played by Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint). She's an up-and-coming lawyer who wants the love of her life to give up the game and go for the straight life. But he won't hear of it! He just can't help himself! He can't tear himself away from the lure of that green rug on the table with the holes in it! Really, are we supposed to care about this set-up?

Looking for tough-talking, hardcore, mob-related male rivalry? Tune into (or rent) that HBO Mafia series, the name of which I won't even bother mentioning. :

Poolhall Junkies opens Friday, March 21

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