Croupier, directed by Mike Hodges in 1998 is a well structured and edited film drawing parallels between different scenes. The plot revolves around the main characters: Jack Manfred (Clive Owen), Marion Nell (Gina McKee) and Jani de Villiers (Alex Kingston). The first part of the film shows Jack trying to become a writer through a dialogue with his alter-ego, Jake. The second half of the film draws interesting coincidences from the first half of the film. The director uses parallel editing to show the viewers, how the elements in the first part are repeated in the second part.
The first and second half of the film centers on the bedroom scene where Jani tells Jack to help her as she owes money to the some gangsters. The opening scene of the film shows the roulette wheel spinning and a voice over of Jack where he cannot hear the sound of the ball anymore. This could imply his life spinning out of control in the earlier stages. Then the closing scene shows that he has control and the power as a croupier to make people lose money. In the first half, Jack’s father calls him from a casino about the job, and then in the second half, his father calls him again from the same casino.
During the drive to Giles’ home, Jani’s hand is wrapped with a bandage and she has a black eye. This is to gain Jack’s trust and sympathy. But in the sleazy hotel later, Jack notices the bandage is off and her black eye is healed. In another scene, Marion erases the messages left by Jani warning Jack about the time the cheater punter is going to show up. Surprisingly, Marion shows up at the hospital much to Jack’s bewilderment. Also, Marion is shown dead, possibly from a hit and run, then when Jack is driving the car with Lucy, she almost hits into another person.
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