Gambit (2012)

Gambit is the latest theatrical release from the Cohen brothers. Directed by Michael Hoffman and starring Cameron Diaz, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman and Tom Courtenay, it is a modern day retelling of the classic sixties caper of the same name starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.

Harry Dean (Firth) is a downtrodden art curator who works for egotistical bullying media tycoon Lionel Shabandar (Alan Rickman). Having suffered at the hands of Shabandar for many years Harry embarks on a plan to forge a copy of Claude Monet’s famous painting Haystacks Dusk, a piece of art Shabandar has been searching for for years. With the help of his friend The Major (Courtenay), who is a great forger of classic art, they track down PJ Puznowski (Diaz), a rodeo queen from Texas who will be paid handsomely to claim that the painting has been hanging up in her family trailer ever since it went missing. The pair try to convince Shabandar that the painting is real in an effort to con him out of £12 million and seek revenge for his poor treatment of Harry. They will, however, have to overcome a great many obstacles do so, including security from a rather large lion who guards Shabandar’s private art collection.

While this film may not be winning any awards any time soon, Gambit is a humorous caper comedy with a solid well-known cast which is enough to draw in the audiences. Stanley Tucci has a small role as a German art curator who is brought in by Shabandar to verify the forgery of Haystacks Dusk as the original Monet. This film will bring back memories of old-school classic capers from way back to older members of the audience, while adding a great modern twist makes it relatable to a younger audience.