The Best Gambling Film You’ve Never Heard Of

Pop quiz: What’s the best gambling film ever?

a) Casino

b) The Gambler

c) The Sting

d) None of the above.

Surprise. It’s d) none of the above. I’ve just seen a Mike Hodges gambling film that blows all previous casino and gambling films away. Croupier is a sophisticated thriller that chronicles one man’s descent into the gambling underworld.

Yea. Yea… it sounds cliché, and it would be if it weren’t for a ridiculously well-crafted script, gripping character portrayals by Clive Owen (before he was Clive Owen) and Alex Kingston (of ER fame) and a back-story that, even without all the high-rolling exploits, provides a sinister snapshot of the human condition.

Owen plays Jack Manfred, a writer who takes a job as a Croupier to cover his bills. He soon finds that his casino exploits make for a great story. Unfortunately, the great story stuff proves to be temptation, mystery, adultery and all the otherwise fun things that are always, unfortunately, forbidden. The plot thickens as Jack realizes he is his own book’s anti-hero. It’s a modern film noir and an engaging story.

And if the above artsy-smartsy analysis doesn’t appeal to you….See the film for its casino insights, which include a thrilling profile of a dealer’s life and behind-the-scenes information on how casinos really operate.

If you’re a Craps fan, the energy of the scenes set round the Craps table is almost as invigorating as actually playing the game; the costumes and set design are pure casino sensuality; and the language employed by characters in the casino proves just how true-to-life Hodges script is. Makes that kiddie-film, 21, that everyone raved about a few years back like a Project Greenlight movie.