The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

R

1976

2 hr. 15 min.

Crime

Drama

List

79%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Cosmo Vittelli (Ben Gazzara), the proprietor of a sleazy, low-rent Hollywood cabaret, has a real affection for the women who strip in his peepshows and the staff who keep up his dingy establishment. He also has a major gambling problem that has gotten him in trouble before. When Cosmo loses big-time at an underground casino run by mobster Mort (Seymour Cassel), he isn't able to pay up. Mort then offers Cosmo the chance to pay back his debt by knocking off a pesky, Mafia-protected bookie.

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Critics Consensus

Ben Gazzarra gives a grand performance as a hard-pressed debtor with delusions of grandeur in this naturalistic and tense thriller.

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TheTrudeman

One of the slowest, most boring films I've seen in decades. So much could be cut from this self-indulgent film without changing the meaning or goal of this flabby project. It's like somebody turned on a movie camera and said "Let's go." And I'm over with the "shaky camera make it more realistic" genre of filmmaking so popular in the '70s. Gazzara acts well, but the other characters are cardboard cutouts, except for the exotic dancers who think they are in an entirely different film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/22

Full Review

Tony S

A very slow and lingering movie, with very loose editing. That tries on the surface to be a character study. In reality, it's an "accidental" metaphor for John Cassavetes's career. Or rather, how he sees and projects himself after a lengthy experience in show business. Mighty be stretching it. But when you consider Cosmo and Mr. Sophistication as yin and yang of the director's personality the metaphor comes full circle. Since they have to counter balance the desire to give people something beautiful and artistic, yet entertaining in their sleazy act. And at the same time not be crashed by the ruthless people trying squash their dreams for the club in the first place. The result is ambiguous to say the least, even more so when you consider that this entire situation was just Cosmo's own undoing. It's is much more entreating to see this film with this frame of mind, that looking at mobsters setting up their 23k debtor for a certain doom, and then acting surprised when he doesn't die or fail.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/22/21

Full Review

Audience Member

What a unique character and what a performance by Gazzara

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

craig m

The audition scene was everything.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

william d

Cassavetes always brought out the best in Gazzara, and he really shines here. However, the story meanders a bit.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

jon c

Hated it Nothing in this keeps you invested It's boring

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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John Cassavetes

Director

Ben Gazzara

Cosmo Vitelli

Timothy Carey

Flo (Gangster)

Seymour Cassel

Mort Weil (Gangster)

Azizi Johari

Rachel

Meade Roberts

Mr. Sophistication

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

The genre elements are mostly subterfuge because otherwise [Cassavetes would] basically be bleeding on the screen.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 16, 2019

Full Review

Jay Cocks

TIME Magazine

When Cassavetes is really cooking, even the moments that are awkward and forced can become electric.

May 3, 2013

Full Review

Empire Magazine

With a heavily improvised script Cassavetes gets the most from his actors, each giving emotive performances.

Rated: 4/5

May 3, 2013

Full Review

Jacoba Atlas

Los Angeles Free Press

[John Cassavetes] undercuts his own abilities with a passionate belief in non-structured cinema, meandering story lines, poor camerawork and overindulgent acting styles.

Nov 18, 2019

Full Review

Sean Burns

WBUR’s Arts & Culture

It's a movie about a testy, outsider artist and his gang of misfit collaborators, the John Cassavetes biopic once removed.

Apr 4, 2019

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Gazzara exudes cool and calm while also stinking of panic.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 4, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Cosmo Vittelli (Ben Gazzara), the proprietor of a sleazy, low-rent Hollywood cabaret, has a real affection for the women who strip in his peepshows and the staff who keep up his dingy establishment. He also has a major gambling problem that has gotten him in trouble before. When Cosmo loses big-time at an underground casino run by mobster Mort (Seymour Cassel), he isn't able to pay up. Mort then offers Cosmo the chance to pay back his debt by knocking off a pesky, Mafia-protected bookie.

Director: John Cassavetes
Screenwriter: John Cassavetes
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 18, 2016
Sound Mix: Surround

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