I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The Croupier (1998)Take a steady, steely very young Clive Owen and give him a mysterious past in the gambling dens of South Africa. Then have him need a job in London--at a casino. That's the movie, and all the almost inevitable pressures on him to eventually either cheat of get involved in a crime. But he gives the appearance of having been there and done that and he's cool as a cucumber. And very effective. This is one of this first really movie roles (after years of British t.v.) and you can see how he is a whole level above his peers. There isn't really a bad performance in the bunch, but lots of just serviceable stuff that lets him do his thing. The plot builds nicely, with some subtle twists and decent writing. The ending is a weirdly flat experience--meant to be shocking and open-ended no doubt--which makes you re-evaluate the climax right before that. Owes plays it all as if nothing mattered, though he does on the inside seem affected.The other twist here, almost unnecessary but it works, is that Owen is also writing a book about it all, and he sometimes (through voice-over narration) confuses and conflates the lead character in the book with himself. They are of course the same, sort of, but not too closely or he'd get caught.At doing whatever he is really doing. Never mind all the possible flaws in the plot, it clicks overall and it's intriguing. It also has a nice, if a bit brightly illuminated (t.v. style) filming. Solid, low budget stuff. And an entry into the life of a mega-actor to be. Oh, and I wouldn't call it a noir (or neo-noir) even with all the voiceovers and the alienated lead male--it lacks the other element of pure style, which this functional movie avoids too well.

Jack Manfred is a struggling writer who is set up by his gambler father for a job dealing at a London casino. Catching inspiration from the seedy setting of his employment, Jack starts to write about his experiences. But although it makes for a good story, the reality is that his life is spiralling out of control.Croupier is known for two main things outside of being a good and interesting film. Firstly is that it launched the career of Clive Owen, lifting him out of the TV mainstay league and into the Hollywood subconscious. Secondly is that it was largely ignored on release in its homeland of Britain, but after America took a liking to Mike Hodges tantalising tale, it scored a re-release and Owen and the film have not really looked back since.Tho not quite deserving of the sleeper gem reputation it has, Croupier none the less is a strong London based thriller set amongst the ducking and diving world of the all night casino. Led by an engaging Owen performance, the characters are meaty, with Hodges and his writer Paul Mayersburg creating a nice line in paranoiac mystery. There's a bit of an overdose of twisters in the final straight, but in the main Croupier comfortably holds the attention span for its 90 odd minutes running time. 7/10

Deeply Freudian but clever and entertaining,"Croupier" depicts life at the fringes of "The Life"as represented by the workers at a London casino.Here they hang together unless they be hanged separately - so to speak.Peer relationships are complex and deep,group loyalties are fierce and strong when engaged in the constant battle against cheating punters. Uncontrolled movement of large sums of money inevitably attracts violent and dangerous criminals and their threatening presence adds a frisson of fear to the lives of the casino staff who are obliged to cater for them. Mr Clive Owen is excellent as the eponymous croupier who tries to divorce himself from the action at the tables,but finds,against his will,that he is drawn deeper into the demi - monde. Steered towards a job in the casino by his father,Owen finds out too late the truth of Philip Larkin's axiom. "Croupier" is a short,sharp movie that,a decade on,has enhanced its reputation and is a fine antidote to those Guy Ritchie Diamond Geezer fantasies so beloved of would - be Bad Boys who spend their Saturday Nights kicking over traffic bollards and making rude signs at coppers.

Jack: The world breaks everyone, and afterwards many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break, it kills - it kills the very good, and the very gentle, and the very brave, impartially. If you are none of these, you can be sure it will kill you, too, but there will be no special hurry.Croupier is a refreshing little indie film with a lot to admire in it. The plot is smart for the most part, even if it does drag towards the middle. The acting is all very good, but the stand-out is Clive Owen. 'Croupier' gains it's real power from the subtle yet marvelous performance by Clive Owen as the suave, cool but ultimately unhappy writer turned casino croupier. The plot has nice twists and turns, but really the best thing about this film is Clive Owen. Owen is an actor I recently gained a lot of respect for after seeing him consecutively in such great films as 'Children of Men' and of course 'Closer' for which he received an Academy Award Nomination. 'Croupier' is an interesting little crime caper, that although isn't big, spectacular and extremely exciting, offers first-rate performances, solid writing and decent directing. Grade: B