A losing gambit
The Coen bros co-wrote this unnecessary remake of the 1960s classic in which art curator Harry Deane (Firth, delivering more rueful gentility) stumbles through some public disgraces in a bid to avenge earlier humiliations suffered at the hands of his nasty employer and art collector Shahbandar (Rickman) by heisting a valuable painting. To this end, he enlists the help of a forger and a rodeo-riding Texas gal (Diaz, delivering yet more bad karaoke). Do yourself a favour: find the original.
Gambit | Directed by Michael Hoffman (USA 2012) with Cameron Diaz, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman. Starts June 20
Originally published in issue #117, June 2013.