The Good Thief

• Director: Neil Jordan
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Crime
• Movie Type: Caper, Crime Thriller
• Themes: One Last Heist, Perfect Crime, Art Theft
• Main Cast: Nick Nolte, Nutsa Kukhianidze, Tchéky Karyo, Saïd Taghmaoui, Gérard Darmon
• Release Year: 2003
• Country: IE/UK/FR
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• MPAA Rating: R

Plot

Loosely based on Jean-Pierre Melville's French film noir Bob le Flambeur, this heist film from director Neil Jordan (Interview With the Vampire, The Crying Game) stars Nick Nolte as Bob, an aging American thief living in the French city of Nice. Addicted to both heroin and gambling, Bob is in the midst of an extended personal losing streak when he rescues a new girl in town named Anne (Nutsa Kukhianidze) from her pimp. When the opportunity to steal a fortune in rare paintings from a Monte Carlo casino comes along, Bob hopes for a score big enough to let him retire from his life of crime. His only hindrances are Anne's man troubles and his nemesis, local police chief Roger (Tchéky Karyo). The Good Thief also features acting performances by Emir Kusturica (director of Underground and Arizona Dream) and Ralph Fiennes. ~ Tom Vick, All Movie Guide

Review

Neil Jordan's The Good Thief is less a remake of Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob le Flambeur than an extended riff on its premise. It's a film rich in atmosphere and texture, with Jordan's camera constantly prowling the seedy underbelly of Nice where a rogues' gallery of underworld characters from places as far flung as Morocco, Russia, and America all congregate. Unlike the dapper hero of Melville's film, Nick Nolte's Bob, with his gravelly voice and sagging, wrinkled features, is an elegantly wasted scoundrel, albeit one imbued with a strong sense of discipline and honor. His affection for Anne (Nutsa Kukhianidze, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Isabelle Corey from Melville's film) is more protective than carnal, and when he decides to go for the big score in Monte Carlo, he quits drinking and handcuffs himself to his bed to kick his heroin habit. The heist itself is more elaborate than the one in the original, employing loads of high-tech gadgetry and a host of shady characters, all of whom seem to have a reason for betraying the others. Jordan also alters the ending, giving an unexpected twist to Bob's personal journey. ~ Tom Vick, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Nick Nolte - Bob
• Nutsa Kukhianidze - Anne
• Tchéky Karyo - Roger
• Saïd Taghmaoui - Paulo
• Gérard Darmon

Ralph Fiennes - Art Dealer (uncredited); Marc Lavoine - Remy; Emir Kusturica - Vladimir; Jason Flemyng; Ouassini Embarek

Credit

Susie Figgis - Casting, Tracey Seaward - Co-producer, Penny Rose - Costume Designer, John Norster - Costume Designer, Deborah Saban - First Assistant Director, Neil Jordan - Director, Tony Lawson - Editor, Neil Jordan - Executive Producer, Kristin Harms - Executive Producer, Thierry de Navacelle - Executive Producer, Jenny Shircore - Hair Styles, Elliot Goldenthal - Composer (Music Score), Jenny Shircore - Makeup, Anthony Pratt - Production Designer, Chris Menges - Cinematographer, John Wells - Producer, Stephen Woolley - Producer, Seaton McLean - Producer, David A. Stephenson - Sound/Sound Designer, Neil Jordan - Screenwriter

Similar Movies

Any Number Can Win; Les Tricheurs; Le Casse; Le Soleil des Voyous; Touchez Pas au Grisbi; The Score; Heist; And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen; Femmina; Artworks

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