Croupier (1998)

(In theaters, October 2000) Few people can resist films about gambling, and so Croupier has a built-in fascination enhanced by its insider’s view of casinos and the thrill of playing with high stakes. The story of a ex-gambling writer who finds himself drawn back in the world of casinos as a dealer, Croupier isn’t showy, explosive or particularly funny, but I guarantee that it’ll hold your attention, and not only because you’ll be trying to figure out the English accent. Pay attention to lead actor Clive Owen; he’ll be back. It’s a story filled with betrayals, small and big, a twist ending that doesn’t entirely make sense and characters stuck in the choices they’ve made. But it’s the little details that count, such as the casino lore and the strangely compelling half-world the characters inhabit. Not bad.