Croupier 8/10

Croupier (NR) 1998
Reviewer’s Tilt (9)
Drama-94min
Special DVD Features worth a look-Deleted scenes
Review
In disembodied first person Clockwork style voice over, Croupier pessimistically compares our lives to those of hapless gamblers. We know the odds are stacked against us, yet we continue to play the games. Gamblers, or “punters” as they are more derogatorily known, however, play their games under the watchful eyes of the croupier (casino dealer). Constantly pulled by the siren song of fast money, the croupier knows better than anyone that to play is to lose. Thus, the cool croupier relegates himself to his addiction of watching others lose.

Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) is the croupier, raised by his croupier father (Nicholas Ball) who taught him all the tricks of the trade. Through his losses both in the casino and in his personal life, Jack’s father also taught Jack that the only way to win is not to play. Punters are sorry sods; the croupier is king. From father to son, the lesson passes -- watching others strive and falter is the only real enjoyment in life. Despite decades of croupier training, Jack is compelled to write the great novel burning deep inside him, yearning to escape. Jack’s publisher regrettably relates to Jack that his novel idea is trite; stories of real life graft and corruption are what sell.

When Jack’s father informs Jack of a casino opening in a small London Casino, Jack snatches the opportunity to parlay his skill into a novel exposing the seedy underbelly of London’s casinos. Unfortunately, Jack’s ex-cop girlfriend sees the job hardening and irreparably changing Jack for the worst. In an attempt to fool himself, Jack creates alter ego “Jake” to bear the brunt of inequity, attempting to maintain Jack both morally and physically unscathed. The absence of any clear delineation between the personas becomes apparent when a lovely punter (Alex Kingston) approaches Jack with a scheme to rob the casino. Jack slowly comes to the realization that no one can have it both ways, either in the casino or in life. You are either in the game, or you are not.

Seasoned veteran director Michael Hodges deftly crafts this tale around the subtle talents of the ultra cool Clive Owen. Owen rules this drama, not with flex and volume, but with glances and nods. Less is truly more, much more, in this low budget escape from the unsatisfying blockbuster suspense films of recent memory. Croupier proves that it is not a large budget, but direction, dialogue and acting that drive the genre.

Format: Color, Widescreen Anamorphic, Closed captioned.
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Extras: None