'Brit flop' film hits US jackpot

Clive Owen's performance has been hailed by US critics

A low-budget British film which failed to make an impact in the UK has gone down a storm in the US.

Croupier, starring Clive Owen, has been getting rave reviews on the other side of the Atlantic - a year after its release date.

Owen, best known for his roles in TV's Chancer and Sharman, is even being tipped as a hopeful for next year's Oscars.

The film, made by Get Carter director Mike Hodges and partly financed by Film Four, attracted little interest among UK cinema-goers.

Owen in a scene from the film Croupier

But American newspaper USA Today has dubbed it "the sleeper hit of the summer".

Although it has only been released in a few selected cinemas in the States, Croupier has already taken £2m and all the signs are that it will get bigger and bigger.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Owen told USA Today.

Incredible

"The reviews have been incredible. It just shows that a small film can get noticed and appreciated even in this huge marketplace."

The movie, which also stars ER's Alex Kingston and Gina McKee from Notting Hill, tells the story of a struggling writer - played by Owen - who works in a casino to try and get some inspiration, but becomes caught up in a plot to rob the place.

Owen's portrayal has been hailed by several influential critics, with Frank Scheck of the Hollywood Reporter praising his "intense and minimalist performance".

UK audiences may yet have a chance to see it for themselves, if cinemas decide to re-release Croupier on the back of its American success.

A spokesman for the British Film Institute said: "It was never the intention to be a small release, but the demand wasn't there.

"People were writing nice things about it, but there didn't seem to be the interest from the cinemas."