Croupier

Croupier (1998)
Directed by Mike Hodges
Featuring Clive Owen
on IMDb
Synopsis: The film centers on a writer (Clive Owen) and former croupier, named Jack, who gets back into the casino business to make ends meet while he writes his book. The casino is an addiction to Jack, although the stories he experiences find their way into his novel.



Croupier was certainly a surprise, and a pleasant one at that. I have always loved Clive Owen, but have mostly seen him in his more mainstream roles (Closer, King Arthur, The Bourne Identity). This film was a wonderful opportunity to watch the man completely dominate a film and bring me in to the demented world of Jack. The narration called to mind that of Fight Club in style, although not as abrasive, and that was certainly one of the high points to the film. Metaphors play beautifully, and while I didn't always understand why Jack was taking the actions that he was, but it was never unbelievable in the least.

This is part of a dying breed of film: the intense character study. The goal fleshes out a single person to the point that the audience believes him to be real. The story is quite engaging, as are most films that attempt this style, and unfortunately that tends to get in the way, making fascinating stories but losing something in the characterization. Croupier manages to avoid this trap, maybe because its story is not as fascinating as its central character. Overall, a movie that should be seen by far more audiences than it ever will be.

Trivia: Was planned to be an Oscar contender, but it was shown on TV before the nominations, thus disqualifying it.

Direction: 4
Artistic Vision: 4
Acting: 4 (Clive Owen is a 5, other characters leave something to be desired)
Production Design: 5
Cultural Relevance: 3
Overall: 9/10

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