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Croupier
Jack Manfred is an aspiring writer who to make ends meet, takes a job as a croupier. Jack remains an observer, knowing that everything in life is a gamble and that gamblers are born to lose. Inevitably, he gets sucked into the world of the casino which takes its toll on his relationships and the novel he is writing.
1998 · Directed by Mike Hodges · 94 min · Drama · Thriller · Screenplay in the scene database · 11 frames
Tagline
Life's a gamble...
Plot
Jack Manfred is an aspiring but as yet unsuccessful writer. To make ends meet and against his better judgment, he takes a job as a croupier at a local casino. The interview was set up by his father, a small-time hustler back home in South Africa.
Jack finds himself drawn into the casino world, and the job gradually takes over his life. He goes drinking with Matt, a croupier who he knows is cheating the casino. He sleeps with a fellow croupier named Bella in violation of casino policy. His relationship with his girlfriend Marion begins to deteriorate when he lets her read part of his book about a cold, unfeeling croupier who enjoys seeing gamblers lose, a character transparently based on Jack himself. Bella confronts Jack at his apartment, accuses him of getting her fired and tells Marion about their one-night stand.
One gambler, Jani, tries to befriend Jack, another serious violation of casino rules. Jani shows him bruises saying she got them from gambling creditors and asks Jack to be the inside man for a planned robbery at the casino. All he has to do is raise the alarm when a gambler cheats at his table. Jack eventually agrees and accepts a £10,000 advance with an additional £10,000 if all goes well. In doing so, Jack notices that Jani's injuries were faked.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Paul Mayersberg
- Cinematography: Michael Garfath
- Edited by: Les Healey
- Music: Simon Fisher-Turner
- Production design: Jon Bunker
- Produced by: Jonathan Cavendish, Christine Ruppert
Cast
- Clive Owen as Jack Manfred
- Kate Hardie as Bella
- Alex Kingston as Jani De Villiers
- Gina McKee as Marion Nell
- Nicholas Ball as Jack Snr.
- Alexander Morton as David Reynolds
- Paul Reynolds as Matt
- Nick Reding as Giles Cremorne
- Barnaby Kay as Car Dealer
- Rhona Mitra as Girl with Joint
Production
- Country: United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany
- Language: English
- Studios: Little Bird, Tatfilm, CPB Films, Channel Four Films
- Themes: london, england, casino, gambling, roulette, writer's block, intrigue, novelist, croupier, neo-noir, crime
More by Mike Hodges
On this film
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