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The Good Thief (2003)
Believe it or not, a good heist film does not always spell box office success. Neither The Score (with Robert De Niro) nor Heist (with Gene Hackman) was received very warmly at the theaters, even though both movies were intricately plotted in addition to being well acted. Currently in limited release is The Good Thief, a wonderful piece that should not be so quickly dismissed as the aforementioned titles.
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 smile 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 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 dialogue, 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.
- Zalasta
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