The Good Thief (2002/I)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers:

Auguste Le Breton (screenplay) and
Jean-Pierre Melville (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 February 2003 (Ireland)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He doesn't want money. He wants what money can't buy.

Plot:

An aging gambler on a losing streak attempts to rob a casino in the South of France. But someone's already tipped off the cops before he even makes a move.

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Gambler | Heist | Riviera | Policeman

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Nutsa Kukhianidze	...	Anne
Ouassini Embarek	...	Said
Marc Lavoine	...	Remi
Nick Nolte	...	Bob Montagnet
Tchéky Karyo	...	Roger
Gérard Darmon	...	Raoul
Saïd Taghmaoui	...	Paulo
Patricia Kell	...	Yvonne
Julien Maurel	...	Philippe
Emir Kusturica	...	Vladimir
Roland Munter	...	Kozinski
Warren Zavatta	...	Petit Louis
Théo Trifard	...	Bill
Sarah Bridges	...	Philippa
Nicolas Dromard	...	Luigi

Also Known As:

Double Down (Canada: English title) (working title)
L'homme de la riviera (France)
Le dernier coup de Monsieur Bob (Canada: French title)
Le dernier coup de Mr Bob (Canada: French title) (DVD title)
The Honest Thief (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality, drug content and some violence.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

France | UK | Ireland | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:MA (original rating) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Hungary:16 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | USA:R | Brazil:14 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

Nick Nolte admitted in an interview that he took a small injection of heroin in preparation for his role. He claims that in order to play such a character he required the feeling of addiction and what it is to be a heroin junkie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: French police do not have jurisdiction in Monaco, which is an independent state (principality) so police from Nice would not be guarding the casino nor the villa.

Quotes:

Bob: It's a good fake, though.
Tony Angel: Isn't that a contradiction in terms? A Good Fake? A Happy Homosexual?

Movie Connections:

Remake of Bob le flambeur (1956)

Soundtrack:

Flashback

Stylish and Satisfying

'The Good Thief' is the best film Neil Jordan did since 'Mona Lisa' almost two decades ago. It is a classical and well written robbery story, complex enough to catch the interest, simple enough for the spectator to follow and enjoy, and with the special twist at the end that makes a good script. The main character fits Nick Nolte like life, I can imagine only Humphrey Bogart doing better in this role. There are a few other memorable characters, with the Georgian (from the other Georgia) Nutza Kukhianidze promising to become soon a star if she has enough luck to continue to work with good directors and scripts. The cinematography has a special quality, with final stills after each shot, enhancing a good digital camera work. I also liked the soundtrack, it's a mix of classic, jazz and even Leonard Cohen sounds right for a change. 8/10 on my personal scale - certainly worth seeing.