SYNOPSICS
Croupier (1998) is a English movie. Mike Hodges has directed this movie. Clive Owen,Nick Reding,Nicholas Ball,Alexander Morton are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1998. Croupier (1998) is considered one of the best Crime,Drama movie in India and around the world.
Jack Manfred is an aspiring writer going nowhere fast. To make ends meet, and against his better judgement, he takes a job as a croupier. He finds himself drawn into the casino world and the job gradually takes over his life; his relationship with girlfriend Marion begins to deteriorate. One gambler in particular catches his attention: Jani, whom he starts to see outside of working hours - a serious violation of casino rules. Jani is down on her luck; under pressure from her creditors she approaches Jack, asking him to be the inside man for a planned heist at the casino. Jack carefully considers the odds; it all looks so simple, but even a professional like Jack can't predict the cards he will be dealt.
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Croupier (1998) Reviews
Engrossing, high quality film-noir drama
This film-noir crime drama gets my vote for sleeper of the year. It is an expertly written story that is subtly directed and superbly acted. It makes up for the dozens of dreadful independent films one has to mine to find such a gem. Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) is a struggling writer, who on the advice of his father takes a job as a croupier at a local casino, a job he previously held when he lived in South Africa. He takes the job to make some extra money, but soon he realizes that it would be an excellent setting for a novel. He becomes an impassive observer of the gambling culture on both sides of the table, taking mental notes that are later incorporated into his book. However, as time goes on he is seduced from observer to participant, gradually breaking all his own rules and justifying his decadence by convincing himself that he has become the character in his book. His feeling of control is delusional as he is being manipulated by unseen forces that are beyond his comprehension. There is a wonderful multi-layered texture to the story. It examines the psychological aspects of the gambling casino from the inside out, allowing us to look at the trade from the casino's perspective. It also weaves in love, sex, deceit and betrayal along with robbery and murder. A few plot gaps leave the viewer with some unanswered questions, but they are minor. The ingenious weave of plot elements culminating in a clever ending more than makes up for the flaws. Director Mike Hodges did an outstanding job of creating realistic casino environment without a lush budget. Hodges got the feeling just right as well, portraying various types of gamblers from the high rollers to the addicts. The acting was superlative. Clive Owen emerges from the shadow of his television resume to deliver a complex and brilliant performance as the cunning but stolid croupier. If anyone with clout ever sees this film, his agent will certainly be getting some calls. Alex Kingston also does a fine job as the enigmatic Jani, who lures him into a nefarious scheme that sends his life spinning dangerously out of control. This intelligent film keeps the viewer engrossed throughout. I rated it a 9/10. It presents a fine alternative to mindless big budget films that are more form than substance.
Black Jack
Mike Hodges' film 'Croupier' tells the stark story of Jack Manfred, a writer who sells his soul to work in a casino. As might be expected from the director of 'Get Carter', the acting is deadpan throughout, and the plot is likewise understated: the point is less what happens than the fact that Jack can deal with it. Yet this (short) film is oddly compelling: although we actually get only a brief insight into the workings of the casino, there's something very addictive about the way it is presented, the film has the smack of authenticity and one watches transfixed, as if one was being shown it all for real. Also effectively communicated is the mixture of alienation and exhilaration that comes to possess and drive an increasingly dehumanised Jack. 'Croupier' is not the best film ever made, but it never oversells itself and holds one's attention throughout. A highly effective and distinctive thriller.
This guy knows his stuff!
I was a croupier myself for the best part of 15 years and I expected to see the usual depiction of a casino. You know the scene - think of any Bond movie - the Roulette wheel spins so fast that you can't see the numbers, the dealers all have sticks and speak in French accents, the bets are all placed before the ball is spun and all straight up on the number. Not so this movie. Anyone that has ever been inside a real casino would recognise this place. The urgency of every punter trying to get the last bet on before the ball drops, the cheats, the sad, sad losers that wait forever to place their last chips. This is the most realistic depiction of a casino I have ever seen. Clive Owen is perfect. He has obviously had a lot of training - only one criticism of his technique - he looks in the wheel as the ball is dropping - a good dealer looks at the layout and watches for late bets, he should be the last person to know which number has come up - he must have eyes in the back of his head to spot a cheat the way he deals! For realism, you can't fault this film - every character, even the peripheral extras are real and believable - it's a tour de force of perfect character sketches - the plot is almost irrelevant - in fact, it is not quite up to the incredible atmosphere created - but it's good enough, the film is well worth your time. Hell, it's worth watching 2 or 3 times just to catch all of the great little cameos that you might have missed the first time 9 out of 10
Croupier
"Croupier" is a British neo-noir. It has a detached character (or even better, two characters) who progressively get involved in a shadowy world from an apparently safe beginning, it has voice-overs, lots of artistic and original swearing, a depressing atmosphere and if you don't feel like lighting a cigarette with a Zippo after the movie is over, you're dead. Clive Owen gives an amazing performance as the croupier of the title, who is very conscious of his split personalities: Jack, a gambler, the writer who works in the casino to pay the bills, and Jake, a croupier, a man who enjoys watching his customers losing all his money and who makes sure he's always dealing the cards. In the end, Jack loses and Jake wins. The message is delivered in the least subtle way possible, Hell, the voice-over is practically an intellectual analysis on the movie's meaning, but it works because Jack/Jake is an amazingly engaging character and because the movie is so well directed. The crime plot, although not surprising in the least, develops itself smoothly and contains lots of unexpected sources of humor. "Croupier" is a very stylish and criminally underrated neo-noir that beats the living crap out of most of recent Hollywood releases centering about a big robbery or con. It might be heavy-handed, but it's conscious of where its strenghts lie, and Wilson is great. Why it's so criminally underrated... I don't have the faintest about.
Owen delivers the goods in this nifty neo-noir flick
CROUPIER (2000) *** Clive Owen, Gina McKee, Alex Kingston, Kate Hardie, Nicholas Ball. British director Mike Hodges returns with his trademark hands-on film noir twisting with Owen part Connery/part Gibson as a contemptuous struggling novelist who takes a job as a casino croupier with much disdain for its clientele and the razor's edge trundling of enjoying the afterhours lifestyle while struggling to maintain his identity from his story's semi-autobiographical character. Smartly written by Paul Mayersberg with its pulp fiction heart and soul on display works well until its unfortunately false ending. Owen gives a silky smooth enhancing performance of a man at odds with his life and makes it all look effortless.