A thief comes out of retirement, and the gutter, to put together an audacious plot to rob a casino in defiance of a policeman with whom he has personal history; how many times have you seen that one before? Yet although 'The Good Thief' does not exactly set new standards in originality, it has certain merits that set it above the average film of it's type: the complex plot, a certain skill in invoking the mood of the underbelly of France (even if all the dialogue is spoken in English); and Nick Nolte's unique ability to convey a sense of ruination. Offsetting this, Nutsa Kukshianidge' female lead is very pretty but I found her acting unconvincing; at times the story appears to be trying too hard; and director Neil Jordan certainly is, with his busy style and some off-putting habits (in this film, he peculiarly ends each scene with a freeze-frame, which adds nothing to the movie save annoyance). Even so, it's one of Jordan's better movies, a thriller that mixes grime and glamour, even if it never quite manages to transcend its genre.
Review of The Good Thief
