I love movies about con artists, for some unknown reason, and I love movies about art fraud even more. Gambit offers both. So I was biased from the outset on this one.
Gambit is better than many crime caper flicks because it builds suspense very well, over and over again, up until the very end. It is always annoying when one can figure out what is going to happen half way through the film. Not a problem here.
My only minor quibble is that the love interest ending is totally implausible, given that the Michael Caine´s cold con artist demeanor would have to somehow melt into molten schmalz in order for him to abandon his career for a floozy he picked up in a dancing club. Yes, the Shirley MacLaine character proved to be brighter and more interesting than expected. But I still don´t believe that would ever happen!
Gambit is better than many crime caper flicks because it builds suspense very well, over and over again, up until the very end. It is always annoying when one can figure out what is going to happen half way through the film. Not a problem here.
My only minor quibble is that the love interest ending is totally implausible, given that the Michael Caine´s cold con artist demeanor would have to somehow melt into molten schmalz in order for him to abandon his career for a floozy he picked up in a dancing club. Yes, the Shirley MacLaine character proved to be brighter and more interesting than expected. But I still don´t believe that would ever happen!