It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

we all know what a great actress Famke Janssen is i became a fan when i saw her in Goldeneye 1995 & later in X-Men she did a lot of films before this and after this that are very good to watch but this project is straight dull.this film is not about a swimming pool its about pool the famous game but more then that pool plays a small part this more about character study then story itself for those expecting some Jason Statham type action stuff will be disappointed as it is very slow & mainly dialog oriented.the plot:Kailey is a pool player who makes a plan to participates in pool tournaments just to make more money & use fake documents to travel to Canada with her son who lives his father but will this plan work.this is something is something i should also mention why Kailey is trying to kidnap her own son well its simple the father Kailey's ex husband is aggressive towards the son,she lover her son like all mothers but she also makes a mistake and gave up her own son when he was born and now when he is grown up a bit she wants him back but why would she do that now this is something i will not spoil its a hidden secret.the cast:all actors are passable except Famke Janssen her performance is amazing as always her timing is awesome she understands the character too deep i did expect her to beat some bad guys up here but none of those scenes come.this was an uninteresting,slow paced & to be honest a kind of boring film and not for everyone so overall if you are a fan of Famke Janssen watch Turn The River 2007 my rating is 4/10.

Turn The River is a stupid story, that is poorly directed, and just plain boring. Kailey is a professional gambler who not only lost custody of her son when she got divorced, but also lost the right to even see him. She is convinced that he ex-husband is abusing her twelve year old son, the way he abused her, and she's determined to do the only thing she can about. Kailey goes on a quest to win as much money as she can, so she can get her son and take him away to a better place. First of all, we have no idea why Kailey can't see her son and we so no evidence of abuse by her ex-husband. Gambling, also infers random games of chance, but not with Kailey, honestly it's just ridiculous. The film stars X-men beauty Famke Janssen, who is quite good looking, but unfortunately very dry as an actress. Her son, Law & Orders Jamyie Dornan, is a bit more entertaining, but the role is so badly written, that no one could have made it work. A lot of things are alleged and assumed in this movie, but we aren't shown any of it. It's impossible to separate fact from bull doody, in this incredibly slow dud of a movie. The script is terrible, the acting is bland, and the direction is sloppy. If you suffer from chronic insomnia, try watching this!

Enjoyed the performances of Jannsen, Torn and Dornan. Pool scenes were believable and worth the watch, but about halfway through the movie I really started having a hard time believing in Famke's character, she didn't have a job or a home - just somehow managed to live from poker game to pool game. All the character's in her life seemed a bit over the top, why did all her friends seem to be of a criminal element? How did they arrange to meet in the park? How did he know to go to the pool hall to pick up the letters? Then I realized this was the kid's fantasy Mom that was coming to save him. They don't make it to Canada at the end perhaps because he realizes that he can't really leave - but then he takes another go at it.

Shrewd and scrappy pool hustler Kailey Sullivan (a splendid and mesmerizing performance by Famke Janssen) wants to rescue her loving son Gulley (winningly played by Jaymie Dornan) from her strict, demanding, and abusive ex-husband David (a fine portrayal by Matt Ross) and start a new life for the both of them in Canada. However, Kailey needs $50,000 bucks in order to accomplish this particular goal. Writer/director Chris Eigeman's debut feature scores strongly with its beautifully well-sustained brooding and melancholy tone and a flavorsome and fascinating evocation of a fiercely competitive underground sports culture. Better still, Eigeman admirably eschews sappy sentiment and lurid melodrama in his hard-boiled approach to Jailey's dire predicament. That said, the scenes between Jailey and Gulley are nonetheless still quite touching. Janssen positively shines in a juicy lead role; she brings a truly riveting and nuanced blend of toughness and vulnerability to the compellingly rough-hewn character of Jailey. Janssen receives bang-up support from the always wonderful Rip Torn as Jailey's wise and supportive mentor Teddy Quinette, Lois Smith as Gulley's snippy and meddlesome grandmother Abby, Marin Hinkle as David's sweet new wife Ellen, Terry Kinney as the antsy Markus, John Juback as formidable professional pool player Duncan, and Tony Robles as polished young upstart Ralph. Herman Micheal Otano's slick and prowling cinematography brims with style and energy. The moody'n'melodic score by Cloggs likewise hits the harmonic spot. This picture earns bonus points for not punking out with some phony happy ending that wraps things up all nice and neat in a bow; instead the conclusion is absolutely devastating in its startling bleakness. Highly recommended.