Life's a gamble...
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.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Cool, grave, classical in form and bleak.
- cooloverwhelming
- gravecomic
- classical in formformally daring
- warmbleak
- intimateepic
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is it too cool to love?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Clive Owen the best thing in Croupier?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Would a little humor have helped?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- griggs79on TMDB · Mar 20255/10
I’ll admit I had high hopes for _Croupier_—a cool, smart British film set in the gritty London of my late teenage years, a city I loved, but that’s since vanished. And to be fair, the plot is clever and hooked me early on. There’s a slick, noir-ish vibe that’s easy to settle into, and Clive Owen absolutely looks the part. But while the script has its flaws, it’s the direction that really lets the film down. The pacing drags, and there’s a cold, clinical detachment to everything, making it almost impossible to connect with any character. You’re kept at arm’s length, which drains the film of tension and emotional weight. Owen ends up stuck in second gear—not entirely his fault. He’s far more compelling as the third-person narrator than he is on screen. And for a film supposedly steeped in risk, desire, and moral compromise, it’s shockingly unsexy. The female characters are flat and one-note, mostly there to pout, sulk, or stand around topless. The detour to the Oxfordshire party is a perfect example of the film’s missteps—pointless, tonally off, and best forgotten. Stylistically, it’s a full-on late ’90s time capsule—for better or worse—and hopefully, Owen’s hat, along with some of t
Read the whole review on TMDB - John Chardon TMDB · Sep 2019
Croupier deals with interest. 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. Though 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 m
Read the whole review on TMDB - elev8on TMDB · Sep 2023
Such a shame. This is actually a decent film, but is ruined and turned into an unwatchable laughing stock by one simple thing. The film's title, the main protagonist's job, is mispronounced throughout the entire film. Unfortunately this is completely at odds with the image the film seeks to create, as well as being like fingernails down a blackboard to have to listen to for over an hour. If correct use of language doesn't matter to you, you'll probably like this film.
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Clive OwenJack Manfred
- Kate HardieBella
- Alex KingstonJani De Villiers
- Gina McKeeMarion Nell
- Nicholas BallJack Snr.
- Alexander MortonDavid Reynolds
- Paul ReynoldsMatt
- Nick RedingGiles Cremorne
- Barnaby KayCar Dealer
- Rhona MitraGirl with Joint
Crew
- Mike HodgesDirector
- Paul MayersbergScreenplay
- Michael GarfathDirector of Photography
- Simon Fisher-TurnerOriginal Music Composer
- Les HealeyEditor
- Jonathan CavendishProducer
- Christine RuppertProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
American Gigolo 198072% alikeBoth grave.
Voyeur 201772% alikeBoth grave, cool.
Mr. Frost 199071% alikeBoth grave.
The Hunger 198370% alikeBoth grave.
House of Games 198770% alikeBoth cool, grave.
Sleuth 200769% alikeBoth cool, grave.
Reversal of Fortune 199067% alikeBoth cool, grave.
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll 196067% alikeBoth grave.
Phoenix Springs 202466% alikeGame · Both grave.
How They Found Silence 200966% alikeGame · Both grave.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
