"It's amusing to me to torture a cop."
---Michael Madsen RESERVOIR DOGS

Plot synopsis excerpted from Mr Showbiz web site:
Mr Showbiz reviews Croupier

~...Stoic, unrepentant antihero Jack Manfred, a starving novelist is forced to take a job as a croupier at a posh London casino. Jack's perfectly suited for the job; he's a former gambler with lightning-quick hands who knows the score. While he's initially reluctant to take up work at "the house of addiction," he soon realizes he's found the perfect catharsis for his raging cynicism. Jack can't resist the thrill of watching people lose. As a matter of fact, he kind of gets off on it. His philosophy is "You have to make a choice in life — to be a gambler or a croupier — and live with your decision." Jack's boss lays down the rules of the game early on. Namely, don't get involved with customers or fellow employees. But Jack does both, having an illicit one-night stand with a fellow croupier (Kate Hardie) and getting involved with a desperate South African woman (ER's Alex Kingston) who's deep in debt and danger. Jack's descent into this glitzy underworld alienates him from his live-in girlfriend (Gina McKee) as he becomes increasingly more detached from his emotions in his efforts to pull off the perfect scam.~
-------------------------------------------
Directed low-key style by Mike Hodges, this character driven drama immediately sucked me into this dark world and mind of Jack and his autobiographical Jake. The screenplay by Paul Mayersberg keeps the tension levels high with some clever twists. Fine performances all around by the British actors I've never heard of.

My overall grade - A

Glad I took the chance on this "art-house" movie.

Not rated by the MPAA but contains nudity, sex, language and violence.

More Grades


Breasts.......B- not any great ones

Croupiering......A really slick and stylish

Croupier rules......F not one of them followed the rules



"Dead or alive, you are coming with me."
Peter Weller ROBOCOP