Rating: 
Summary: DON'T MISS THIS FILM!
Review: Set in the beautiful and panoramic hills of the South of France, THE GOOD THIEF is an intriguing remake of the 1955 French film noir classic BOB LE FLAMBEUR. Bob Montagnet (Nick Nolte), a gambler and drug addict down on his luck and fortune, assembles a crew to pull off a casino heist while deceiving the French police, in particular Roger (Tcheky Keryo) who has been given a tip of Montagnet's plans. Seeking refuge from her pimp, Anne (Nutsa Kukhianidze) helps Montagnet get clean while simultaneously trying to seduce him with her stunning body and youthful charm. In THE GOOD THIEF Nolte delivers an impressive performance that makes one believe that he remains true to his form. The viewer trusts his characterization of a strung-out gambler and his pain is well detailed across his persona. To top it off, Nolte throws in some laughs and is creative in his interactions with Roger, the member of the French police who is insistently following him. The cinematography is original and inventive as end of scenes are frequently met with a freeze of the last frame. It's jolting but at the same time it peaks interest in the film. Scenes of backroom gambling in addition to the utilization of primary, bold colors throughout this film creates an effective portrayal of the underbelly of this often-cited glamorous geographical location of Europe. Overall, THE GOOD THIEF is a bold and original film that rightly deserves recent critical acclaim. I fully recommend this film.
Rating: 
Summary: Nolte is great
Review: Some critics have brushed aside Nolte's acting in this film because his personal life happens to mirror, in some key respects, the life of Bob - an American thief in southern France whose life has degenerated into a daze of heroin and gambling. Frankly, I don't care how Nolte managed to fit so seamlessly into this role, because it was amazing to watch. Bob's life is in the pits, but there's also humanity in him; if you look past the haze of smoke, the shuffling walk, and the droopy eyes you see a gentleman, a person who would never behave cruelly to others. Though the plot gets driven along by a heist on an art vault in Monte Carlo, the movie is also a complex character portrait of an old criminal. The dialogue is entertaining, the soundtrack is excellent, and the supporting characters are sharply drawn and add a lot of color to Bob's seedy world. My one complaint is that it can be difficult to understand Nolte's speech; he has a tendency to mumble and swallow his words, and although this is in keeping with his character, it can be frustrating for the viewer and will necessitate hitting the rewind button many times.
Rating:
Summary: A Rare and perfect mix........What Movies Are All About!
Review: Such an interesting movie. A remake of a French classic, the original of which I haven't seen in years (Bob Le Flambeur). The original was a noir classic, and all about style, but a style that helped tell the story in a bold, new way, and a movie that helped to jump start the French New Wave Cinema to come. Well, this movie is all about style too, but again, it is style for the sake of telling the story....and this is an incredible fresh and new take on storytelling....a familiar story, but told with such a confidence and a visual flair that it makes it a joy to watch the story slowly unfold. Great directing by Neil Jordan, who has given us some remarkable films, all told with such an original eye you cannot help but admire anything the man has done. Storytelling at its finest! That is why I love the cinema so much. The incredible artistry involved ( or should I say that can be involved ) in making a great film can be a real wonder to behold......
I loved this movie!! And a whole other review could be written about the acting. Nick Nolte obviously stand out, in one of his best performances, but every single actor involved help make the story so believable, so honest, so funny and sad......bringing a truth to the characters that takes the film up an extra notch, making it an even more special and beautiful film. Not a missed beat throughout the film......please, give this one a chance. You will be rewarded with some fine storytelling.
Rating: 
Summary: Finishes up strong
Review: The Good Thief falls flat on many levels, but the ending was strong enough that I can almost let that slide. Nick Nolte and Tcheky Kayro both turn in strong performances, but Neil Jordan, under pressure, it seems, to justify his rendition of Bob Le Flambeur, throws in too many directorial bells and whistles. But these only serve to distract from the more gentle and amusing eccentricities of the film (such as the performances of the Polish brothers). Nutsa Kukhianidze is the requisite girl, and is particularly grating, like a sissifies Luc Besson heroine.
Whatever problems I had with the film, the last reel at least partially succeeded in winning me back. The climax in Monte Carlo is subdued, but there's an energy in the air. Anyone (it probably helps if you're a degenerate gambler like myself) whose pulse quickens at the thought of donning an Italian suit and playing for high stakes in the salons of Monte Carlo. Nolte initiating Kukhianidze in this foreign world, the quiet, dignified panic always just underneath the pit crew's bored facade, flop sweat on the upper lip. This was sufficient payout for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Flashier but not better than its model
Review: The Good Thief is a new take on Jean-Pierre Melville's celebrated 1955 film Bob le Flambeur. Comparisons are said to be odious, and the critic's first commandment is to review the film at hand, not compare it with something else. I've broken a few other commandments in my time, and I'm afraid this one is next. There is simply no way I can look at a remake of a film I'm fond of and not measure it against the original, so I won't try.Bob le Flambeur has been described as a precursor of the French New Wave films of Truffaut, Godard, Resnais et al.: the dialogue and editing were naturalistic rather than stage-play-like, the cinematography was a major element in the film rather than just a recording device. In that sense, B. le F. was a precognition not only of the French New Wave but of the style of most "serious" films today. Neil Jordan, the director and screenwriter, wants to keep our eyes glued to the screen. The cinematographer, Chris Menges, gives us gorgeous saturated colors. The streets of Nice and Monte Carlo glow in the Mediterranean sun. Neon lighting in nightclubs bathes their inhabitants in the hues of tropical fish. Visually, there's hardly a dull moment in The Good Thief, and the DVD transfer captures the vibrancy of the camera work to perfection. B. le F. -- set in Paris, not the south of France -- had its own ocular poetry, though, that didn't try to punch you out. Its black-and-white cinematography featured exteriors of Place Pigalle in the wan light of dawn, a bleak analogue to the lives of the gamblers and small-time crooks who were the movie's subjects. The Good Thief, like B. le F., is about a man who has something of a privileged background (both films are a little vague about this) who has wasted his life as a gambler. After taking several falls and doing prison time, Bob is now way past his prime with not much to show for it. Temptation knocks, in the form of a chance to lead a clever burglary at the casino in Monte Carlo. Jordan has gone all out to make the story "contemporary." Besides the hot visuals and fluid camera movement, he has added "now" touches and sub-themes: drug addiction, North African rai music (lots of Cheb Mami on the soundtrack), a trans-sexual character, Christian symbolism (besides Bob, the title refers to the thief who was crucified next to Jesus), 12-step programs, art forgery, and of course lots of whiz-bang technology for the burglary scenes. Not only is most of this flapdoodle uninteresting in itself; worse, it serves as a diversion from the character study that the original was and The Good Thief imagines itself to be. That's a shame, because some of the casting is strong. Tcheky Karyo gives a compelling performance as the detective who is Bob's nemesis. The young actress Nutsa Kukhianidze, playing a too-old-for-her years waif who wanders into Bob's subterranean world and gets enmeshed in it, is much better than her counterpart in B. le F. But the portrayal of the central character (Nick Nolte) is about as wrong as it could be. An odious comparison is unavoidable. In Melville's film, Roger Duchesne captured our feelings and our imagination because he was a tragic figure in the classical sense -- a hero with a fatal flaw. Duchesne as Bob retained touches of elegance and gentility, as well as an inward quality. Nolte has been required by the script (and probably by his own acting tendencies as well) to keep showing us what a sorry loser he is. We watch him go through a drug withdrawal, let us in on what a scammer he is, show us such pure cynicism that we don't buy into the supposed repentence suggested by the movie's title. It's all spelled out for us; there's nothing left to draw us into the character. To take one example: in B. le F., when Bob goes on a winning streak in the casino, he hands the croupier a big tip. In The Good Thief, he does the same but announces to his companion that it's one of his Rules for High-stakes Gambling: "Always tip the croupier." Here's one of my rules for moviemaking: "Don't just give us something to watch. Let us meet your characters half-way." I'm sure Jordan studied Melville's film carefully, but that's one element he seems to have missed.
Rating:
Summary: Wondrous Romp of a Crime Movie
Review: The Good Thief packs so much of a punch that I'll put it on my short list of films I find difficulty anyone not enjoying.
Nolte gives his finest performance in years. Neil Jordan pays enormous respect to - and has fun with the classic French film Bob La Flambeur. Without knowing what "Thief" was about, I began watching it and getting strong feelings of deja vous only to realize what an IDIOT I was not to recognize the homage to the earlier film (and set in Monte Carlo as opposed to the original's Paris.) A film which has you routing for the bad guys, who are, of course, the best guys.
Everyone is obviously having a terrific time and Jordan provides a terrific reign over this large ensemble that is the equivalent of a world class conductor at the helm of a great symphony - everything is full of nuance and balanced so well that even the most convoluted moments (which are some of the best) have a feel so perfect they seem natural. A delightful bad guys are good guys perspective works splendidly and entertains completely!
Rating:
Summary: Nolte and newcomer - a cult classic?
Review: the music, the characters, the mood are carefully revealed and they are captivating, endearing, and timelessly delightfully presented in a flimsey vehicle of hope. yet, i keep returning to a favorite location in a culturally dense zone where simplicity prevails. one of Nolte's best. and, when or where will this youthful Nutsa reappear?
Rating:
Summary: The Good Thief is good fun.
Review: The title for The Good Thief comes from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when he promised one of the thieves who were crucified with him that he would that day be with Christ in paradise. Nick Nolte is Bob, the good thief, and as luck would have it, he does find his version of paradise, at least on this earth. The film opens with Bob down on his luck and needing a reversal of fortunes if he is to maintain his lifestyle as a playboy gambler in France. Bob has given up a life of crime, but is drawn in to what appears to be a pefect score against a major casino at Monte Carlo. Bob is the brains behind a motley crew of thieves and his plan to take down the casino seems well thought out and well planned. He is being watched closely by a french detective who likes Bob and respects his ability to mastermind a major heist. Bob leads the detective on a merry chase that is fun to watch. In fact, The Good Thief is good fun from beginning to surprising end. Director Neil Jordan keeps the plot moving with enough surprises to satisfy those viewers looking for a caper film that is more than nonstop action and violence. Nick Nolte turns in a solid performance as a chain-smoking, world weary thief who knows his friends and respects his enemies. Ralph Fiennes adds his talents in a bit part as an art dealer swindled by Bob to finance the caper. Neil Jordan gets good performances out of a large supporting cast mostly unknown to american audiences. The Good Thief was more than good enough to be distributed to theaters across the country and I'm not sure why the producers decided to release it instead directly to video. Fortunately for us this film is now available on video/dvd and deserves to be seen by a wide audience. Those viewers who enjoy this film are also likely to be entertained by Bob Le Flambeur, the french film on which The Good Thief is based.
Rating:
Summary: Paradoxically Stylish
Review: This film is quite a refreshing pleasure. It could easily be described as another highly stylized capper film but it is quite a bit deeper than that assessment. It is strongly character based with many participants who are themselves all quite quirky with Nick Nolte at the hub of this ensemble who is in fact the catalyst of a very intriguing but vague plot line. Even Nolte's character is that of a very vague art thief whom we really know nothing about yet he entices you and keeps you just interested enough before the bottom drops out. This is quite a mesmerizing film and to tell too much about it would just be telling too much! Take my word for it that this is one absolutely brilliantly orchestrated film that should leave you quite satisfied.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A WASTE
Review: This film was another deep disappointement. Everything what could have missed was missed there. In this film I saw a very good story, which was almost impossible to screw up. This story could make one of the greatest films if not for Nick Nolte and for the rest of the group. The film is very weak, primitive, I would say. I gave it three stars only out of respect for the past.
|
