The Good Thief 2003

Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News: Jordan returns to the demimonde -- and the more personal style of filmmaking -- of his earlier triumphs, such as Mona Lisa and The Crying Game. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: [Nolte] is magnificent -- ravaged, desperate, aware. Read more

John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press: Extremely smart and cleverly crafted, this heist movie set on the French Riviera will keep you guessing even when you already know the outcome. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: A sparkling exercise in movie cool. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: [T]here probably isn't another actor in the world better suited to play a substance-abusing, world-weary charmer than Nick Nolte. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: There's not much to remember a few days later, but it's eye candy of a very high order. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: It's vibrant, tremendously exciting, and done with a wit, feeling and panache that keep your mind and senses in constant overdrive. Read more

Elvis Mitchell, New York Times: It's a triumph of flourish, all weathered, movie-star- size gestures. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Nolte is perfectly cast as this charming loser. The problem is, he knows it. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: The film doesn't lack for the elements of success, but as so often happens with the heists themselves, nothing works out as planned. Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: The heist is the story's spine, the melody. But what's really interesting are the solo flights that branch off and the filigrees that embellish it. Read more

Vic Vogler, Denver Post: Jordan's approach assumes a certain intelligence, and attentiveness, in his audience, but his joyride through the French Riviera always keeps us belted in. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: It's thin movie tinsel that, while lovingly polished, never becomes more than tinsel. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: A solid work of craft that doubles as a little meditation on art. Read more

Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News: Mr. Jordan adeptly keeps the movie saturated in jazzy cool, preserving the original film's hard-boiled romantic notions of what does and does not make a good thief. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: The Good Thief has the restless motion one associates with cinematographer Chris Menges ... and the casual joyousness of a work made out of sheer movie love. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: It pulses with erudition and visual kicks, but has the dulled impact of a time-sensitive bottled message that has washed ashore years too late to be of any practical use. Read more

Peter Rainer, New York Magazine/Vulture: Bob is a marvelous creation -- a faker who is also the genuine article. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: With his haggard good looks and bearish presence, Nolte is the main event in this colorful three-ring circus of a heist picture. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Great fun despite its deficiency as a presumed thriller. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It is a decidedly mixed bag. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Whether or not Nolte topped up every day on the set, it is clear that he was born to play Bob. Read more

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: To the extent that it's a rhapsody on the theme of Nick Nolte, The Good Thief has considerable charm. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: This is a movie for which you want to give an award to the casting director, Susie Figgis. Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: Irresistibly seductive. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: While Jordan's repeated freeze-frames try a little too hard for nonchalance, the overall cocktail of Gallic insouciance and American film noir grit delivers such relaxant properties you forgive a few foibles. Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: In terms of its myriad screen predecessors, it's still on the high side of 'heist.' Read more

Eddie Cockrell, Variety: Jordan delivers easily his most satisfying work since 1992's The Crying Game. Read more

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: It's all pizzazz, and the pizzazz is all borrowed. Read more