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Thursday, December 22, 2022

CROUPIER (1998)

Superb character study from Mike Hodges who died last week at 90.  With a mere eight features over three decades, Hodges may have been his own worst enemy commercially, unable to parlay a breakthru success on the tough, influential Michael Caine revenge drama GET CARTER/’71 into a stable career.  Instead, hit & miss projects, ankling a Hollywood franchise (the ultimate commercial sin), flopping in full exposure on the hippest of Pop vehicles with FLASH GORDON/’80.  But here he is, back from irrelevance in his penultimate pic, a gorgeous achievement made on a dime (Paul Mayersberg script, Michael Garfath cinematography) with a still young Clive Owen (before he made a brand out of permanent dishevelment) as a failed novelist-turned-croupier who finds literary inspiration in his new surroundings.  Writing from behind the scenes of his lux London gambling club, and on the rich/sexy/dangerous clients he 'services,' while narrating his own story in Present-Tense/Third-Person, a living audio book.  He finds himself getting involved in a scam, a forbidden romance, falling out with his girlfriend, and, worst of all, turning into the character he’s chosen as lead in his novel; the sort of candid interior portrayal we’ve seen dozens of filmmakers strive (and fail) to achieve.  Neatly plotted, too, with screw-tightening suspense, lovers’ betrayals, and a deeply satisfying triple-twist ending that manages to feel inevitable.  We can wish we had more from Hodges, but at least this time, he got the cards he needed.

DOUBLE-BILL:  Hodges & Owen reunited for I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD/’03.  (not seen here)

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