Movies based on old TV shows are a staple of Hollywood, particularly in the past decade or so. However, even before the recent films (or cash-ins) dedicated to shows like Bewitched and Get Smart, there was the early 90’s tribute to the Western TV series Maverick.
As fans of the show know, Maverick is about a freelance poker player cum gunslinger who wanders around the Wild West getting in and out of scrapes. The show had multiple incarnations, but many fans find its earliest seasons to be the best. Analysis and explanation of poker moves plays some part in the TV episodes, but largely disappear in the movie, which stars Mel Gibson as the eponymous adventurer. Jodie Foster stars as his love interest (quite a capable player and racketeer herself) and Alfred Molina appears as a mustachioed villain.
This movie gives a very light-hearted, nostalgic view of the Wild West. The dialogue is peppered with funny banter, and even potentially deadly violence looks playful. It captures the spirit of the original series quite well.
However, the movie, if watched today, makes the viewer nostalgic for other reasons, in particular for the personae of its two lead actors in the early 90’s. We can begin by discussing Jodie Foster. Her performance style here is by no means realistic or serious. In fact, her acting is rather stylized, even cartoonish. But she also seems very relaxed, as if she is having a ball with the ludicrous plot and her cheesy accent. Now, compare this to her grim, drab, I-am-a-serious-actress-in-worthy-pictures performances in recent years. These performances are all competent, but there is little fun or excitement n watching them. Looking at Foster in Maverick, you feel as if comedies lost a great actress once she started to focus solely on “serious” roles. Hopefully, this lost sense of fun is still buried deep inside Foster somewhere and we will get to see it again someday.
Something similar can be said for Gibson. His Maverick is charming, smart, daring, and inventive. However, he is not perpetually cool or infallible. He does sometimes get fooled by other characters, and is fine with looking like a buffoon or coward in order to get what he wants. It is a far cry from his current image, which is tainted by rumors of anti-Semitic ranting, ideologically suspect directing work, and generally nutty behavior.
Furthermore, Gibson’s portrayal of Maverick can be an inspiration to all poker players. At first, this statement makes no sense. Most players do not live in the Wild West. Besides, Maverick spends hardly any time actually playing poker on screen. What could he possibly have to say to real-life pkr poker players? Well, Maverick is inspiring because he shows how poker-related skills like being able to think on one’s feet or read people are useful in other aspects of life. In fact, these very skills help him escape from deadly situations.
Maverick may appear to be a simple comedy tie-in, but watching it is actually a very engaging, multi-layered experience. Fans of the original series, Jodie Foster, Mel Gibson, or poker may all find something to enjoy in it. Better yet, discussion may take place among these different/overlapping groups, thereby enriching the experience.