In the hands of crackerjack conjurer Ricky Jay, a deck of playing cards holds the same potential threat as a ninja warrior’s throwing stars. Many remember Jay’s card-flinging act on Merv or the Carson show, while others know him as David Mamet’s good-luck charm. This mesmerizing documentary follows Jay as he takes us on a tour of some of the great unsung names in magic — his mentors and friends. A biopic it ain't: the cards aren’t the only thing Jay keeps close to his vest. The master illusionist handily diverts attention from his private life, refusing to entertain questions about his parents, whose home he fled at age 16. And if you’re expecting to find cinematic trickery along the lines of Orson Welles’s F for Fake, you’ve been duped. When it comes to crafting a narrative, directors Molly Bernstein and Alan Edelstein have nothing up their sleeves. Still, it's a helluva show. (2013) — Scott Marks
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