Film Review of Croupier
Year: 1998 Reviewer: Chris Docker
Careful drama about a croupier who starts writing a novel based on his experiences and also stumbles into a crime being committed. Raised above the average by the central character's philosophizing about his work and becoming "addicted to watching losers". He never gambles - "gambling is a refusal to accept reality". The plot itself resists the temptation to be overloaded with twists and maintains an element of the mystery thriller. Director Mike Hodges offers a modern movie that still shows his roots in films like Get Carter. The central character is at once a convincing, surprising and enlightening portrayal of the inner life of a croupier in London's seedy underworld. The humorous touches are well-done rather than overdone, although the film suffers from occasional unevenness.
Rating: 6/10
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