The Good Thief
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Marc Lavoine, Nick Nolte, Nutsa Kukhianidze, Ouassini Embarek, Tchéky KaryoBrand: Fox
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 108 minutes
Published: 2003-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-19
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Movie Reviews of The Good Thief
Movie Review: Moody, Exotic & Complex Heist Film
Summary: 5 Stars
Bob (Nick Nolte) was a thief of some note before he retired to a life of heroin and gambling on the French Riviera. He now counts the local police inspector, Roger (Tcheky Karyo), among his good friends. But Bob has run out of money, and an old friend named Raoul (Gerard Darmon) has an idea for a grand heist. Crooks have been trying to figure out how to steal the 80 million francs in the safe at Monte Carlo's Casino Riviera for a long time, to no avail. But Bob and Raoul want to steal the casino's artwork instead...while giving the impression that they are out to crack the safe. They assemble a team of specialists to do the job. But they must make sure that Roger, whose suspicions have been aroused, is on the wrong trail. The plan is complicated when one of the conspirators, Paolo (Said Taghmaoui), falls in love with Anne (Nutsa Kukhianidze), a young Russian woman of somewhat ill repute whom Bob has befriended, and whose drug dealer and ex-boyfriend both want information about the heist."The Good Thief" was written and directed by Neil Jordan. It is a loose remake of the 1955 French film "Bob le Flambeur". This is a moody, complex and human heist film. Nick Nolte is superb as the down-but-never-quite-out Bob. He lies; he cheats; he steals; he shoots heroin; he cleans up; he loves art; he protects the weak; he's smart; he's senseless; he's fascinating, and he's lovable. He's a good guy who is an incorrigible thief. The supporting performances are all excellent, including a small role for Ralph Fiennes as an art dealer of questionable scruples. The film takes place on the French Riviera, mostly in the seedier quarters of Nice, but also exhibits its share of glamour in the casinos of Monte Carlo and riviera race tracks. The film's editing seemed at first to be a little disjointed, but once I settled into it I realized that it has a method and found that the editing enhanced the film's tone considerably. The film's cinematography and soundtrack are brooding. The characters are seductive. The story is sinuous. But somehow in the end it is all uplifting. "The Good Thief" is a cliched caper flick in its assemblage of a motley crew of characters, each with his own talent, to pull off a grand heist. But the cliches stop there. This film dwells on the relationships between the characters, in particular Bob, the good thief, Roger, his friendly nemesis, and Anne, a bereft teenager who is wanted by too many people. I was disappointed to find that "The Good Thief"'s soundtrack is not available. I loved the gritty, brooding French-English songs, which impart a strong sense of place as well as mood. "The Good Thief" isn't at all action-oriented, but I give it my highest recommendation to admirers of heist films and great performances.
Summary of The Good Thief
Nick Nolte delivers a riveting performance as Bob Mantagnet, a wisecracking master thief whose luck seems to have finally run out. Pursued by the police at every turn, the king of con gambles it all on the casino heist of a lifetime inside the decadent world of the French Riviera. A savvy rogue with the perfect quote for every occasion, Bob's last bid at glory is to rob the priceless paintings inside an underground vault that's impossible to crack. Acclaimed Director - winner Neil Jordan directs this ingenious and sexy crime thirller that is "This Year's First Must-See Movie" (Lou Lumenick, New York Post)When Neil Jordan is really on his game, as he is with The Good Thief, his directorial skill is a marvel to behold. In the character-driven mode of Jordan's Mona Lisa and The Crying Game, this smooth, underrated caper provides an abundance of cinematic riches, not the least being Jordan's peerless knack for dialogue and a tailor-made role for Nick Nolte. For better or worse, Nolte's off-screen drug abuse served him well in portraying Bob Montagnet, ace thief, recovering heroin addict, and beloved denizen of the French Riviera, where his luck is about to take some very clever turns. The elegant plot is yours to discover: In loosely remaking the French classic Bob le Flambeur, Jordan crafts what one reviewer aptly called "the underbelly of Ocean's Eleven," involving an impenetrable vault full of priceless art, a rescued Russian prostitute, an eccentric band of accomplices, and high-stakes poker in Monte Carlo. Nolte's right at home in this rich-and-risky milieu, and the combined talents of Jordan and ace cinematographer Chris Menges make The Good Thief a pleasure from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon
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