Rating: 
Summary: smooth, satisfying caper film
Review: ***1/2 Set on the scenic French Riviera, Neil Jordan's "The Good Thief" is a remake of 1955's "Bob Le Flambeur," a Gallic film that enjoyed a successful re-release in this country a few years back. This new version is a stylish caper film about an aging master criminal who comes out of retirement to help lift some priceless paintings from a Monte Carlo casino. In terms of plotting, there is little that we haven't seen in this type of film before. First, there's the idea for the heist, then the wooing of the reluctant "reformed" criminal, then the gathering of the other participants, then the intricate planning and rehearsing for the job, followed by the inevitable double dealing and double crosses, and ending with the sly turnabout ending to set our heads spinning and make us question everything we have seen heretofore. But Jordan has a knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, and this he accomplishes with a complex screenplay, a strong sense of atmosphere, a host of well-developed characters, a sly sense of humor and an assortment of first-rate performances from a talented cast. Nick Nolte is superb as Bob, a shrewd, world-weary thief who is also a compulsive gambler and drug addict. Needless to say, the role seems tailor made for the star. Most of the rest of the cast is made up of French or Eastern European actors, all of whom do a fine job in their assorted roles. Actually, the only complaint I have about the film is a direct result of that largely international cast. Much of the film's dialogue is hard to understand due in large part to the very thick accents emanating from most of the actors. Even the one native English speaker, Nolte, is difficult to comprehend at times, but that's just because Nolte is simply being Nolte and we expect to miss half of what he is saying anyway. Apart from that, "The Good Thief," less polished and slick than movies like "Ocean's Eleven," offers top-notch entertainment for the hardcore heist film aficionado.
Rating: 
Summary: ...
Review: A fun caper movie. Maybe not as immediately enjoyable as something like Oceans' Eleven, but also improves upon similar films, with greater character depth(or at least more detailed characters) than average and a conclusion that, while suited to the rest of the film, was something that I couldn't wholely anticipate. The Good Thief excels visually, while the soundtrack is often appropriate, but sometimes overused. Definately worth a rental, maybe a purchase... has also interested me in seeing Melville's Bob Le Flambeur.
Rating:
Summary: a great soundtrack
Review: A lot of you have sent in reviews that tell what a great movie this is, and I agree. I am writing because some of you are looking for the soundtrack and you can get it on Amazon. Go to popular music and search for the Good Thief. It is an import soundtrack and costs around $32.00 but it is a great CD. A great CD to shoot dope to.....
Rating:
Summary: A smart and sexy heist film
Review: A remake of Jean Pierre Melville's Bob Le Flambeur, The Good Thief tells the tale of Bob Montagnet, a gambling as well as a heroin addict who is down in his luck. As an avid art lover, he recently discover that the new owner of the Monte Carlo at the French Riviera has a sizeable collection of priceless pieces, and is determine to pull that one spectacular job in which no one else can rival. Assembling the right group of people and concocting a plan within a plan, the line between truths and lies becomes increasingly blurry as Bob attempts to outwit the pesky policeman following his every movement. Will fortune smiles down on him, or will he be dealt another loser hand? Bob is a skilled thief and a master storyteller, from how his parents first met to the accounts of his own life, no two versions are ever the same. It is hard to pinpoint the exact reason, but Nick Nolte's portrayal of Bob appears to be almost effortless. The man's struggle with a drug habit, the desolated look and his stubborn refusal to be beaten. Nolte was able to relate all of these feelings on the screen convincingly. Tcheky Karyo plays his nemesis Roger, a French cop who is both a friend, as well as an enemy due to their occupational differences. Their cat and mouse relationship provided many of the humorous moments in the movie. Newcomer Nutsa Kukhianidze held her own opposite of Nolte as the seductive prostitute Anne. Her acting is subtle, confident, and likeable. Definitely someone to keep an eye out for in the future. The rest of the cast is made up of Said Taghmaoui as Paulo and Gerard Darmon as Raoul, Bob's good friends and associates in the business. Rather than falling back on flashy action or dramatic car chases to tell the story, award-winning director Neil Jordan chose to concentrate on having his characters do all the work for him. The Good Thief is a rare instance where the development of these roles take precedence, and the picture benefits greatly because of it. The finely woven plot consists of numerous twists and turns common to caper films; fortunately, they are kept fresh by the smart writing along with the solid acting all around. You may not be able to follow everything that is going on, but you can be sure that there isn't a dull moment. Cinematography by Chris Menges is stunning. The contrast between the glamorous Riviera and the squalid but exotic underworld is remarkable. Sexy and stylish, The Good Thief is one of the best heist films I have seen in years. Nick Nolte delivers an outstanding performance in a part that seems to be tailored especially for him. An intriguing and an unpredictable plot, the witty dialogues, combined with a strong focus on the lead characters made this an immensely enjoyable experience. Admittedly the movie was hard for me to get into at first, but once you were drawn in, it does not let you go until the very last scene. While The Good Thief does not have the same star power as the highly successful Ocean's Eleven, don't let that stop you from checking it out.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad but neither memorable...
Review: Another movie another heist as some critic once said. Is it just that really? After all, this being a N. Jordan film and with N. Nolte in the driving seat in the cast, a high class European setting and other smaller aces up the director's sleeve it should be a definite winner.
It's not though. By the time the elaborate and concocted plot finally reveals its twist in the end, it's not a sure bet whether you'd have cared enough to stay along for the ride.
Contrary to earlier Jordan films which have always been rich character movies this one rather lacks in that direction. To be more precise, the Nolte character (a big time gambler and junkie living the high life in the French riviera) is yes, very developed but everyone around him is paper-thin at best. This is exactly why the "Good thief" can be watched with ease assuming you're spending a night in with nothing better to do but it's no movie that will scar your mind and which you'll never forget. Far from. It's pop corn stuff for the more advanced viewers (and pop corn consumers) if i may put it that way.
Sure, Nolte is a treat to watch as he takes on his role with particular comfort (no doubt aided by the experience in his own life) but that doesnt come out enough in the end. The plot weaves and unravels constantly but since the other characters will leave you totally indifferent it wont be easy for the plot to keep you gripped.
Not one of Jordan's strongest efforts and yet this is by no means a bad film. Still, it's one destined to rather gather dust in video-store shelves in the not so distant future.
Rating: 
Summary: Marvelous tribute to Bob le Flambeur!
Review: At last Neil Jourdan made a free adaptation of that fundamental movie of the purest New Wave spirit film of Jean Pierre Melville , Bob le flambeur .
This remake is very well made , charming and elegant and if it lacks the bitterness of Bob le Flambeur , the characters are very well depicted and loaded of black humor and double twist jokes .
Kusturica as Vlado is outstanding , and the same adjective goes to Nick Nolte . Jourdan handles the camera with legendary masterful . The story never leaves you quiet , it's kinetic and dynamic .
Filmned with very broad gusto in this beautiful paradisiac coast: La rivera francesa .
A triumph all the way!
Rating:
Summary: Moody, Exotic & Complex Heist Film
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: SOUND TRACK PLEASE!
Review: I loved the sound track to this movie and have looked for it in the music listings, without any luck. (I found an album by John Brannen with that name, but don't think it is the sound track). If anyone has any info, please post. Thank you, Shelley
Rating: 
Summary: SLOOOOOWWWWW
Review: I rented this movie because Nick Nolte was starring in it and his movies are usually pretty good. On my first attempt to look at this movie, I fell asleep. On my second attempt (days later) I fell asleep again. I never got past the scene at the casio when he and his parter were discussing stealing paintings from the casino. I guess watching a burned out heroin junkie having a friendly relationship with a 17 yr old runaway, who really wanted to sleep with him, does not hold my interest.
When Nolte's character wanted to get clean, he wasn't doing it for his own health, he was doing it so he can be sober for the next big heist.
Rating: 
Summary: not that good a movie if you are a ralph fiennes fan
Review: I wanted to treat myself to a well-deserved gift and stupidly purchased this DVD without knowing anything about it. Afterall, it did have a picture of Ralph Fiennes on it. Imagine my disappointment when he barely showed up in the film. This is a movie for Nick Nolte fans. And it is certainly not a very good movie at that. I have to admit that I didn't even finish it as my copy was faulty with stops and fast forwards. Ralph Fiennes fans hold onto your money -- one day he may decide to appear in a really good film again.
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