Croupier
Gambling's not about money... Gambling's about not facing reality, ignoring the odds
Jack Manfred (Casino)
Croupier is a movie about the gambling world and people in it. The film is like a narration of the main hero Jack Manfred. He is a writer and he needs inspiration. But what's more, he needs cash. So, he takes the job of a dealer in one of the British casinos.
It is a very interesting story of a person, who never plays, only deals. He is a master in his profession. He takes life easy but at the same time he is not striving for a completely different life. He tells what he sees every day in a casino, or as he calls it "the house of addiction."
The rules in the European casinos are tough, as they forbid taking tips from the visitors. They are not allowed to communicate with the visitors outside casino, even if they meet one of them in the street, they are forbidden to react. But it does not stop him from finding a pal, who would later betray a colleague.
His Nature
He is very observant and pays attention to the slightest things. Jack recognizes the cheaters instantly. And he sees those, for whom gambling is a mere hobby and those who take gambling as life. He is an intraconscious psychologist.
He sees a professional at a glance and likes to work with them. But as any professional he was offered something not really clean. A lady, whom he meets at the casino, offers him a job to be an honest croupier and to notice the act of cheating. It would be a cover-up for other thieves to intrude. According to a legend, she owes a load of cash to some gangsters, as she is an addict.
He takes the job. He hesitates but he likes her and wants to help. Later he realizes that it was just a story to get him involved. But he takes the job anyway. He fulfills it perfectly, although he didn't know who and when will be a cheater he needs to catch.
The movie is not really full of thrilling events. Everything is happening in his head. If you are looking for a gambling movie, which literally takes your breath away, you might want to watch Casino Royale or Rounders.
The flow of thoughts is thrilling. As he was looking for inspiration, he found it and wrote a book under Anonymous name. It was a bestseller.
He resisted the game and attraction. He won. The movie is worthy of two hours of your time.
