SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: THE GOOD THIEF

"THE GOOD THIEF"
(2003) (Nick Nolte, Tcheky Karyo) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Extreme	Moderate	Extreme	Moderate	Heavy

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Mild	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Extreme	None	Moderate	Heavy

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A veteran criminal decides to come out of retirement and kick his drug habit so that he and his team can rob a casino of its valuable paintings.

PLOT:

Bob (NICK NOLTE) is a veteran criminal who's given up on crime in favor of his two favorite addictions, gambling and heroin. Even so, his long-time nemesis, French police inspector Roger (TCHEKY KARYO), knows him well enough to realize that he must always keep an eye on his whereabouts and activities.

The two are reunited when Bob ends up saving Roger's life from an Algerian junkie, Said (OUASSINI EMBAREK), in a club run by pimp Remi (MARC LAVOINE). Bob's too drugged up to be thinking of another job, but when he loses at the racetrack and is presented an offer by longtime associate Raoul (GERARD DARMON), he changes his mind.

Going cold turkey with the help of his assistant, Paulo (SAID TAGHMAOUI), and 17-year-old Anne (NUTSA KUKHIANIDZE), who's moved in with them to avoid becoming a hooker for Remi, Bob gets clean and then heads off with Raoul to scout out a casino that's ripe for the picking. It's not the money they're after, however, but rather the priceless artwork that's hanging on the walls.

The only obstacle is that those pieces are fakes, with the real art locked safely in another building's high tech vault. With the help of a security expert, Vladimir (EMIR KUSTURICA), a casino worker and his twin brother, Albert (MARK POLISH) and Bertram (MIKE POLISH), and a small crew including Philippa (SARAH BRIDGES), who used to be Philip, Bob sets out to pull off the heist, all while dealing with Anne as well as Roger who's intent on tracking his every move.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of director Neil Jordan ("Interview With the Vampire," "The Crying Game") or someone in the cast, they might, but this doesn't otherwise seem attractive to any but perhaps the oldest of teenagers.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language, sexuality, drug content and some violence.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: NICK NOLTE plays a middle-aged gambler, heroin addict and former thief who's down on his luck. When offered a job stealing paintings, however, he partially cleans up his act. He also uses strong profanity, smokes and drinks.
TCHEKY KARYO plays his friendly adversary, a cop who keeps track of his activities, knowing full well that he's up to something. He uses some strong profanity.
SAID TAGHMAOUI plays Bob's right-hand man who assists with the planning and ends up shooting and killing a man in rage. He uses strong profanity.
NUTSA KUKHIANIDZE plays a Russian teenager who's arrived in town only to find herself facing a life of prostitution. She does some drugs and uses some strong profanity.
GERARD DARMON plays Bob's associate who comes up with the painting heist. He smokes and uses some drugs.
MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; TCHEKY KARYO plays his friendly adversary, a cop who keeps track of his activities, knowing full well that he's up to something. He uses some strong profanity.
SAID TAGHMAOUI plays Bob's right-hand man who assists with the planning and ends up shooting and killing a man in rage. He uses strong profanity.
NUTSA KUKHIANIDZE plays a Russian teenager who's arrived in town only to find herself facing a life of prostitution. She does some drugs and uses some strong profanity.
GERARD DARMON plays Bob's associate who comes up with the painting heist. He smokes and uses some drugs.
MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; SAID TAGHMAOUI plays Bob's right-hand man who assists with the planning and ends up shooting and killing a man in rage. He uses strong profanity.
NUTSA KUKHIANIDZE plays a Russian teenager who's arrived in town only to find herself facing a life of prostitution. She does some drugs and uses some strong profanity.
GERARD DARMON plays Bob's associate who comes up with the painting heist. He smokes and uses some drugs.
MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; NUTSA KUKHIANIDZE plays a Russian teenager who's arrived in town only to find herself facing a life of prostitution. She does some drugs and uses some strong profanity.
GERARD DARMON plays Bob's associate who comes up with the painting heist. He smokes and uses some drugs.
MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; GERARD DARMON plays Bob's associate who comes up with the painting heist. He smokes and uses some drugs.
MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; MARC LAVOINE plays an unscrupulous club owner and apparent pimp who abuses Anne and wants to find out about Bob's plans.
SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; SARAH BRIDGES plays a hulking woman who used to be a man who's part of Bob's team, but has a spider phobia.
EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; EMIR KUSTURICA plays the guitar loving security expert who devised the security system for a casino vault and agrees to help Bob and his team break in. He uses some strong profanity.
MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; MARK POLISH and MIKE POLISH play twins, one of which works in a casino and both of which approach Bob about pulling off a heist.
OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.; OUASSINI EMBAREK plays a druggie who Roger coerces into trailing Bob and his team to figure out their plans. He gives drugs to Anne to get her to talk.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 40 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually explicit dialogue and related behavior is present, various women's bare breasts are seen, and other women are seen in revealing attire.

Violence includes one lethal shooting (with bloody results), various instances of fighting and a person threatening another with a knife. Those scenes and a few others might be disturbing, tense or suspenseful to some viewers, and various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes.

Various characters smoke and/or drink, while there are several scenes involving drug use and the protagonist is noted as being a heroin addict who goes cold turkey and through withdrawal and is then clean.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: People drink in a club.
We see Bob shooting up (heroin) and he later admits to being a junkie. He later complains about being out of dope and then goes cold turkey by handcuffing himself to his bed.
Roger has a drink, as does Bob.
Raoul has a drink.
A man says he's going through rehab.
Said has whiskey.
Bob has a beer.
Various people drink.
Miscellaneous people drink.
We see Paulo and Anne taking some sort of drugs by smoking them.
Bob goes to a narcotics anonymous meeting, but then skips out of it (his appearance was merely a diversion).
Said gives drugs to Anne, she does more of them and we later see her very high from them.
Remi has a beer.
People drink in a club.

BLOOD/GORE: We see that Anne has a black eye.
A person has a little bit of blood on them.
We hear Bob vomit while going through heroin withdrawal.
Remi has some little cuts on his face.
A man shoots another man dead (with blood from the victim's mouth and some bloody bullet holes on him).
We see a man's urine stream going into a toilet.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Everyone involved in the attempted casino/painting heist obviously have both types of attitudes.
We see that Anne has a black eye (meaning her pimp or a customer beat her).
A man shoots another man dead.
For those opposed to gambling, there are various scenes of that.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to some viewers.
Armed with a gun, a man follows another man.
A man holds a knife to Anne and threatens to cut her.
For those who don't like spiders, there's a scene where a person has to put their hand into a tight space, that's filled with some spiders, to turn a valve.
Roger enters a tunnel and goes through it with his gun drawn, looking for criminals.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handgun: Used to shoot and kill someone.
Knife: Used to threaten someone.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck you," "F*cking loser," "F*ck that," "Are you f*cking with me?" "F*ck rock 'n roll," "F*ck off," "What the f*ck?" "Get the f*ck out of here," "Who the f*ck is Bob?" "Does it f*cking look like it?" "Shut the f*ck up," "Turn that sh*t off," "You're bullsh*tting me," "Glued to my ass like a bad hemorrhoid," "Balls" (testicles), "What the hell?" "You bitch" and "Would you kindly put a sock in it?"
Anne has a tattoo on her arm.
A woman wears a midriff-revealing top.
As Said tries to drive off on his motorcycle, he discovers it's been tied to a bumper.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A mild amount of such music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 40 "f" words (4 used with "mother," 2 used sexually), 4 "s" words, 2 slang terms for breasts ("t*ts" and "melons"), 3 damns, 1 ass, 1 hell, 2 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 of "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: We see a couple making out and then see a bare breast. We also see a bare-breasted pole dancer in a club.
We see full frontal female nudity in a painting and then see another bare-breasted woman in another painting.
We see Anne in her panties and a camisole like top. She was on a bed with Paulo, but nothing was happening.
Bob, who's going through heroin withdrawal while cuffed to his own bed, wants Anne to give him the key. She then wonders if he'd "f*ck" her if she did, strips down to her bra and panties and asks if he likes her "t*ts." She then puts the key into her cleavage and teases/taunts him in her small bra and panties (she then puts the key into the latter). Nothing ultimately happens between them, however.
We see Anne sleeping on top of Paulo on a sofa (but both are clothed).
After Bob tells Anne she must leave, she cuffs herself and then puts the key into her cleavage, suggestively writhing about in front of him. He reaches into that cleavage to get the key.
A woman shows some cleavage.
A person makes a sexual comment.
The camera focuses on women dancing in skimpy and tight clothing.
Vladimir makes some comment about an orgy and Bob says not since 1972.
We see Anne in her panties and a camisole like top.
A woman in a club wears revealing clothing that shows cleavage.
Remi briefly runs his hand up Anne's skirt along the back of her thigh (while she's high from drugs).
A sexual comment is made using the "f" word.
We see Anne's bare breasts as she tries on clothes.

SMOKING: Bob smokes more than 15 times, Raoul more than 5, while Vladimir (cigars) and Tony Angel (an art fence) smoke several times, Anne smokes once and various miscellaneous characters smoke.
With a camera in a cigarette lighter, Paulo ends up lighting up and briefly smoking many cigarettes as he takes various pictures of paintings with the lighter.
We see a large Marlboro sign on the street.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Thieves, cops and their relationship.
Heroin addiction.
Prostitution.
One female character used to be a man.

VIOLENCE: A guy pushes Said back against a mirror, more struggling ensues, Roger head-butts someone and guns are held on others (including Said holding one to Roger's head). Bob then saves the day by jamming many needles into Said's arm.
A man attacks Bob, overturning a table, throwing him to the floor and kicking him. Other men then throw Bob out and against a wall.
Remi tries to attack Bob, but he throws Remi to the ground and a horse's feet come down on him.
Roger pushes Said backwards, slaps him on the head and then thumps him on his chest.
Roger ends up crashing his car while following Bob (he's shaken up, but is okay).
As Said tries to drive off on his motorcycle, he discovers it's been tied to a bumper and he falls to the street.
Philippa grabs a guy and bangs him into a doorway.
Philippa dangles a guy over a ledge to make him talk.
Paulo grabs and pushes a person backwards. Later, he roughs up Anne, slapping her on the face and throwing her down (all seen from a distance and after he thinks he divulged their secrets).
A man shoots another man dead (with blood from his mouth and some bloody bullet holes on him).
Bob hits Paulo for goofing up their plan.
A man holds a knife to Anne's and threatens to cut her.
There's a gas explosion that blows through a tunnel and rips up a floor in a room.

Reviewed March 7, 2003 / Posted April 11, 2003

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