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:

Neil Jordan had originally intended to name the film "Double Down" but changed his mind when he learned that there were other films being released with the same and/or similar titled.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Two characters force the bank to retire by betting millions of Francs on the ante and winning. In 2002, Francs were not in circulation anymore, as the currency was the Euro, in France as well as in Monaco.

Quotes:

[applying hair gel]
Paulo: Gel is essential when things get complicated.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Bob le flambeur (1956)

Soundtrack:

Habina

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.