﻿ Gambit (2012) starring Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Tom Courtenay directed by Michael Hoffman Movie Review

Gambit (2012)   3/53/53/53/53/5

Colin Firth and Tom Courtenay in Gambit (2012)

Doesn't Pay Off

Art expert Harry Deane (Colin Firth) has grown tired of the abuse he suffers at the hands of billionaire art collector Shabandar (Alan Rickman) and plots his revenge. With the aid of The Major (Tom Courtenay), an expert art forger, they plan to trick Shabandar in to buying a fake Monet. But in order to do so they need the help of PJ Puznowski (Cameron Diaz), a sexy rodeo rider from Texas, to pull the con off. Except things don't go exactly as Harry planned especially when Shabandar and PJ not only seem to grow close but Shabandar hires a second art expert to authentic the Monet.

Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine versus Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz. Okay so yes this 2012 movie called "Gambit" is not a direct remake of the 1966 movie but it runs to a similar theme and when it comes down to it Caine and MacLaine's movie is clearly better than Firth's and Diaz's. The thing is that Firth and Diaz's "Gambit" isn't bad, in fact I can see why modern audiences, as in young, might find it more appealing to the Caine and MacLaine movie with Firth and Diaz delivering comical characters.

But for me this newer version of "Gambit" is too manufactured with a style which is simply too forced. It is supposed to be part of the thing which amuses you but this style makes everything about the movie too obvious. You know the twists are coming and you can see the gags a mile off which for me made it a procession as I waited for the next obvious joke or twist. If it wasn't for the appeal of the cast dragging you with them then this movie would be a completely different kettle of fish as despite the annoying nature of many of the characters Firth, Diaz, Rickman and so on have a natural appeal about them.

What this all boils down to is that this version of "Gambit" didn't do it for me and despite the good cast felt like a movie which constantly forced things which whilst part of the humour only added to it what ends up being annoying about it.