Croupier

1998

1h 34m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

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Drama

Thriller

Jack Manfred is an aspiring writer who to make ends meet, takes a job as a croupier. Jack remains an observer, knowing that everything in life is a gamble and that gamblers are born to lose. Inevitably, he gets sucked into the world of the casino which takes its toll on his relationships and the novel he is writing.

Directors

Mike Hodges

Writers

Paul Mayersberg(screenplay by)

Stars

Clive Owen

Kate Hardie

Alex Kingston

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Videos3

Photos32

Top cast

Jack Manfred

Bella

Jani De Villiers

Marion Nell

Jack Snr.

David Reynolds

Matt

Giles Cremorne

Car Dealer

Girl with Joint

Mr Tchai

Barber

Manicurist

Directors

Mike Hodges

Writers

Paul Mayersberg(screenplay by)

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Review

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5/10

I’ll admit I had high hopes for _Croupier_—a cool, smart British film set in the gritty London of my late teenage years, a city I loved, but that’s since vanished. And to be fair, the plot is clever and hooked me early on. There’s a slick, noir-ish vibe that’s easy to settle into, and Clive Owen absolutely looks the part. But while the script has its flaws, it’s the direction that really lets the film down. The pacing drags, and there’s a cold, clinical detachment to everything, making it almost impossible to connect with any character. You’re kept at arm’s length, which drains the film of tension and emotional weight. Owen ends up stuck in second gear—not entirely his fault. He’s far more compelling as the third-person narrator than he is on screen. And for a film supposedly steeped in risk, desire, and moral compromise, it’s shockingly unsexy. The female characters are flat and one-note, mostly there to pout, sulk, or stand around topless. The detour to the Oxfordshire party is a perfect example of the film’s missteps—pointless, tonally off, and best forgotten. Stylistically, it’s a full-on late ’90s time capsule—for better or worse—and hopefully, Owen’s hat, along with some of the film’s more outdated choices, stay locked inside it.

griggs7928 Mar, 2025