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The Good Thief on DVD (2003)

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Average rating: 58%
133912208535
2.5
from 112 members
 
Starring: Nick Nolte, Tchéky Karyo, Said Taghmaoui, Gérard Darmon, Marc Lavoine
Director: Neil Jordan
Studio: MOMENTUM PICTURES
Certificate: 15
User collections: Heist movies
Genres: Thriller
Languages: English
Released: 01/09/2003

Brief synopsis of The Good Thief

Irish director Neil Jordan (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS) and veteran actor Nick Nolte combine their talents for this breezy heist picture. Bob (Nolte) is a retired master thief and gambler living as an expatriot in France. His past robberies are the stuff of underworld legend, but he's given it all up, and fallen into a twilight life of heroin addiction and seedy gambling dens. Then a chance encounter with an attractive young runaway (Nutsa Kukhianidze) inspires him to clean up his act and take one last big job; an elaborate modern art heist at a swanky Riviera casino. Standing in his way is a cagey police inspector (Tcheky Karyo) who is determined to bring him down, even though the two are longtime friends.
The twisty caper plotting compliments a fun cast (including Emir Kusturica and Gerard Darmon as two of Bob's brothers in crime), clever dialogue, stylish direction, and pretty Riviera scenery. Loosely modeled on Jean Pierre Melville's BOB LE FLAMBEUR, this is something of a pet project for Jordan and it's obvious he's invested himself into every detail of the production. The result is both elegant and warmly quirky. As for Nolte, he seems to be having a terrific time; the charming old rascal role fits him perfectly, and Kukhianidze proves his match with an aplomb beyond her years. Ralph Fiennes has a small role as a disreputable art dealer.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Nick Nolte plays thief, heroin addict and professional gambler Bob Montagnet, the charming but morally dubious hero in this remake of the classic French thriller Bob le Flambeur. Down on his luck but not quite out of the game, Montagnet rescues a young Eastern European immigrant from a life of prostitution and then goes cold turkey in order to orchestrate a big casino heist — a complicated double-bluff that will see him play the tables as the robbery is being carried out. This is film noir in the Mediterranean sunshine, built around a gravel-voiced tour-de-force performance from Nolte. Unfortunately, director Neil Jordan overcomplicates proceedings with too many characters — including identical twins, a transsexual bodybuilder and an uncredited Ralph Fiennes as a shady art dealer. There are also too many rival heist plots, which detract from the towering central performance of the ever-watchable Nolte.

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

A crepuscular account of a lucky streak in the life of a world-weary man who has seen too much; there is a dogged quality about it that makes for less than engaging viewing.

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 2 starsThis is not Oceans 11

homerj from EAST SUSSEX , 25/10/2003

Others that have reviewed this film have unfairly compared this movie to Oceans 11, but there is no comparisam. Oceans was an enjoyable film with a star studded cast, The Good Thief has Nick Nolte and a cast of virtual unknowns.

The film indeed does revolve around the plans to rob a casino but the unknown cast add an air of authenticity to the plot, it is more rugged and raw and in my opinion more believable. The viewer is permitted to see into the lives of the players and why life has dictated that they must perform the robbery in the first place.

There are several potential endings and you won't find out unless you watch to the very end.

Add this to your rental list and Oceans 11, watch both of them and you will see they are two totally differnt movies / plots.

  11 out of 15 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsGenius!

Jon Underwood from W1, England , 21/10/2003

An exceptional movie.about a down & out junkie but smart guy struggling against many odds to pull off the heist of a lifetime. His love interest is played brilliantly by

newcomer Nutsa Kukhianidze. The storyline is from a french movie (or book)which makes for compulsive viewing. It has an exceptional cast including Nolte, Fiennes and Karyo.

I defy you not to love the movie.

Very Feel Good

  7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsWhat a cracker

blue50tony from south glam , 15/10/2003

If you are looking for a thoughtful film, something to keep you guessing....this is the one for you.

Get a pizza in and sit back and enjoy a very good film, sometimes funny and violent.

  6 out of 9 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 2 starsThe Good THief

salem from suffolk , 15/10/2003

A poor "OCEANS 11" Similar plot, different film title. Glossy! Predictable!

In all mediocre.

  4 out of 7 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 2 starsAn interesting twist...

Simon B from London , 12/03/2004

on the heist genre.

If you like heist films with a bit of an edge, then suggest Killing Zoe over this.

Decent performances and the twist to it made me enjoy it more when it was finished then while watching.

One thing I couldn't quite get was that considering it was set in France, with the only english speaking character being Bob (Nick Nolte) then why did everyone else speak a very high level of American English...

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsGood

A customer from Guisborough , 03/11/2004

Enjoyed this movie. It has a good twist at the end. Bit slow to start but give it a chance it does get better.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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