The Good Thief is written and directed by Neil Jordan. A remake of French film Bob le flambeur, it stars Nick Nolte, Emir Kusturica, Nutsa Kukhianidze, Tcheky Karyo and Said Taghmaoui. Music is scored by Elliot Goldenthal and cinematography by Chris Menges.
Bob Montagnet (Nolte) is slipping further down the ladder of hope, addicted to drugs and gambling he allows himself a shot at glory by taking part in one last intricate heist....
The heist at the heart of The Good Thief is pretty much playing second fiddle to the characters involved with said heist on each side of the law. This is primarily about conversations and characters defined by their actions, there's no shoot-outs and screeching of car tyres as the Gendarmerie pursue edgy criminals. It's sedately paced and neatly stitched together, even if it's too smooth for its own good at times. A trait of Jordan's is to focus on a main character with issues and have the audience wondering how it is going to pan out. Here Jordan gets maximum mileage out of this premise whilst directing Nolte to a terrific and gripping performance.
Cast around Nolte are mostly splendid, though young Kukhianidze is a bit overwhelmed by the quality around her. Chris Menges photography is beautiful, affecting golden hues for character moments of hope, cold tones for harsher aspects of the story. There's a rich cosmopolitan flavour to the production, both with the French setting and cast list, while the patience of the viewer is rewarded with a well constructed last half hour as the heist comes into play and one or two tricksy reveals come tumbling out of the card deck.
It's about brain over brawn in this one, hardly a masterpiece of the crime drama sphere, but Nolte and that last third make it well worth the time of the discerning cinephile. 7/10
Bob Montagnet (Nolte) is slipping further down the ladder of hope, addicted to drugs and gambling he allows himself a shot at glory by taking part in one last intricate heist....
The heist at the heart of The Good Thief is pretty much playing second fiddle to the characters involved with said heist on each side of the law. This is primarily about conversations and characters defined by their actions, there's no shoot-outs and screeching of car tyres as the Gendarmerie pursue edgy criminals. It's sedately paced and neatly stitched together, even if it's too smooth for its own good at times. A trait of Jordan's is to focus on a main character with issues and have the audience wondering how it is going to pan out. Here Jordan gets maximum mileage out of this premise whilst directing Nolte to a terrific and gripping performance.
Cast around Nolte are mostly splendid, though young Kukhianidze is a bit overwhelmed by the quality around her. Chris Menges photography is beautiful, affecting golden hues for character moments of hope, cold tones for harsher aspects of the story. There's a rich cosmopolitan flavour to the production, both with the French setting and cast list, while the patience of the viewer is rewarded with a well constructed last half hour as the heist comes into play and one or two tricksy reveals come tumbling out of the card deck.
It's about brain over brawn in this one, hardly a masterpiece of the crime drama sphere, but Nolte and that last third make it well worth the time of the discerning cinephile. 7/10