Croupier (1998)

Clive Owen as Jack Manfred

Jack Manfred, an aspiring writer, is a smart but disaffected man who sees the world broken into two very distinct groups, winners and losers. He knows all the angles, calculates all of the odds, and considers himself merely an observer in the world that he appears to be wholly disengaged from. In a somewhat Noir feeling story, he is slowly drawn back into a world he knows only too well. Though he tells himself it is all fodder for a novel, it is obviously much more.

Clive Owen is an excellent actor and though this film is early in his career, the "cool" factor and demeanor he exudes is readily apparent. The supporting cast in the film is adequate, but the film revolves almost entirely on Owen, and he carries it well.

I went in to this with middling expectations and was very pleasantly surprised at how the film drew me in. The intricate story, the acting, and the plot twists all made for a very good movie.

Rating: Very Good
Parents Notes: Not for kids. Some nudity, violence, and colorful language.
Links: IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia