Following the struggles of Agnes, a smart teenager girl that lives in a small town with her family. She does her best to deal with her miserable life of having a drug addict mother and her father, who is a pimp.
Overall, the pacing feels languid to the point of meandering, relying too heavily on old soul records (and a final eight-track sing-along) for momentum and energy.
One of those autobiographical films... like Running With Scissors... that shows how children can survive and even prosper emotionally, spiritually (eventually) despite a ghastly childhood
The Poker House is one of the most personal, wounded films in years. That it is also one of the most confused reflects how deeply it springs from the psyche of its director.
