Festivalgoers hit the jackpot at Tribeca last Wednesday night when they were treated to two compelling Vegas-themed flicks. First up was Finding Amanda, a comedy starring Matthew Broderick as a flailing TV producer with a gambling problem who ventures to Vegas in an attempt to get his young niece (Hairspray’s Brittany Snow) out of sin city and into rehab. “This is a dark comedy, and it’s partially autobiographical,” said the pic’s writer/director Peter Tolan (best known for exec-producing the acclaimed FX series Rescue Me, which starred Denis Leary — who was also spotted at the Finding Amanda premiere). When asked what he liked about the Tribeca fest, Broderick revealed himself to be a true New Yorker: “I have lived here my whole life. I grew up here. I like walking here, I like the variety. I like the energy in New York.”

There was plenty of energy in Chazz Palminteri’s gripping portrayal of a professional dice-rigging con artist (called a “mechanic”) who must mend a broken relationship with his mentally-disabled son (a breathtakingly good Tom Guiry), with some help from his longtime girlfriend (Christine Lahti). Palminteri’s character (the titular ‘Yonkers Joe’—a role that was also considered by James Caan and James Woods) is “a guy, who for the first time in his life, is letting someone in,” said the film’s writer/director Robert Celestino. “He’s finally taking some responsibility in his life.” To achieve the film’s fascinating glimpse into the inner world of casino con-men, Celestino researched the tactics of professional dice “mechanics,” and the surveillance rooms of top casinos. Palminteri added to the film’s sense of realism by becoming truly adept at the crafty slights-of-hand that make a skilled mechanic. “Not only did Chazz learn these movies,” said Celestino, “but he was able to capture their behavior. I didn’t want to see another pool movie where the guy can’t hold a pool stick.”

Yonkers Joe and Finding Amanda were just two more examples of what makes the Tribeca festival so unique. In the words of Rescue Me star Daniel Sunjata, “This is a place where artistry is honored. Tribeca is famous for that,” he added, “and that’s a good thing.”

-Susannah Gora