Croupier
1998
CROUPIER tells the complex story of an aspiring writer who must take a job in order to pay the bills. Experienced as a professional croupier, Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) is hired by an upscale casino in London, where he intends to silently observe the goings on while continuing to work on his latest novel. Tensions begin to .. Read more
| Starring | Clive Owen, Kate Hardie, Alex Kingston, Nicholas Ball |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Hodges |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Drama |
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Croupier
CROUPIER tells the complex story of an aspiring writer who must take a job in order to pay the bills. Experienced as a professional croupier, Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) is hired by an upscale casino in London, where he intends to silently observe the goings on while continuing to work on his latest novel. Tensions begin to emerge between Jack and his girlfriend, Marion (Gina McKee), when he finds himself succumbing to the temptations that the gambling world presents; most notably, the gorgeous Jani (Alex Kingston), whose mysterious intentions eventually make themselves clear. As the story unfolds, Jack begins to realize that he's becoming the immoral hero of his novel, and is, in fact, giving in to these temptations to provide him with subject matter that will make for a memorable work of fiction.
Director Mike Hodges and screenwriter Paul Mayersberg have crafted a taut thriller that keeps the twists unfolding until the film's very last shot. As a tribute to Mayersberg's script, Hodges insisted that he share the film's author credit with the scribe. This unprecedented decision, combined with Owen's seductive, highly irresistible performance, results in a motion picture that is an intelligent throwback to the crime films of yesteryear.
| Starring | Clive Owen, Kate Hardie, Alex Kingston, Nicholas Ball, Gina McKee, Kate Fenwick, Nick Reding, Simon Fisher-Turner |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Hodges |
| Studio | FILM 4 |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 30 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Drama |
| Language | DVD: English, English Audio Description |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 14 Apr 2003 Production year: 1998 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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This account of double-dealing in a London casino is fascinating in its detail, but the improbable romantic backdrop given to the story by scriptwriter Paul Mayersberg does director Mike Hodges no favours. Clive Owen plays Jack, a trained croupier-turned-struggling writer who is prompted by his buccaneering father (Nicholas Ball) to return to the tables. His store-detective girlfriend (Gina McKee) is less than impressed, but casino life gives Jack's creativity the impetus it needs and he meets other people who are more interested in his dealing abilities. Owen's poker-faced acting doesn't involve us, while the story strands never properly intertwine. Since Get Carter, Hodges hasn't found his niche, though there are moments here that prove he's still a film-maker to be reckoned with.
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Cool, impersonal thriller that keeps its distance from the events it shows, becoming a somewhat arid account of a man trapped in a world he understands but dislikes.
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Most helpful member's review
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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
NOT a roulette of a choice
•• NB. A Director's Commentary from Mike Hodges can be found under audio features ••
Famously prevented from having a theatrical release in the UK due to lack of interest from distributors this slow-burning character study starring Clive Owen is a top piece of entertainment. The man responsible for such disparate offerings as Get Carter, Flash Gordon and Morons from Outer Space, Mike Hodges always makes his films at the least - interesting and at best - great character studies.
Clive Owen stars as reluctant croupier Jack Manfred, and he narrates the story in the third person. Jack is an ex-gambler with pretensions to become a writer, when his Dad tips him off about a croupier post going at a middle range London casino, he grudgingly accepts the position. His relationship with his ex-Policewoman girlfriend (Gina McKee - too rarely seen on TV or on the big screen these days) is strained and Jack's amoral decline sees him embroiled in encounters with two other women through the course of this absorbing movie.
Alex Kingston has a small role as South African gambler Jani who tempts Jack into breaking his new 'no gambling rule' with the promise of a big pay-off up front. The most realistic casino movie i've seen, we British should be making more films like this rather than burying them.
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- Alfod from Walsall
- Posted 30 Jul 2004 09:45
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Croupier- An Insight into a man well casted
Croupier is one of those British gems that we see never really making it to the top.
Clive Owen is casted as Jack Manfred, a writer who likes to get 'involved' with his characters.Once he gets his job as a Croupier in a seedy London casino his life takes an interesting twist.Coupled with Owen's narration, his retained cool lets him take an elevated view on the goings on in the casino before becoming part of the adventure and breaking about every rule his boss tells him not to break. Owen does not act as Jack but almost seems to be Mr Manfred throughout. Excellent performances all round and will be buying this DVD a.s.a.p as should you reader.Cheers -
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