The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

A Los Angeles strip club owner (Ben Gazzara) finds himself impossibly indebted to the mob, who offers him a dangerous way to square his account.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is an almost Robert Altman-esque take on the crime and film noir genres. Writer-director John Cassavetes is certainly less interested in the plot than in the characters themselves, sometimes to the film’s detriment, but the colorful, detailed world he creates is vivid and resonate.

Unfortunately, as mentioned, Cassavetes’ interest in his characters often exceeds our own, such as when he indulges in long takes involving the strip club’s lounge acts. While the first few minutes add atmosphere, they soon turn into a grueling test of patience.

For those that trooper through it, however, Cassavetes rewards us with a dark, bittersweet portrait of a proud man coming to terms with his shortcomings. Ben Gazzara is compelling and believable as the lead, and carries the film well, conveying volumes of back-story in his tired, but still hungry, eyes.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie isn’t for everyone. Most will certainly find the lackadaisical pacing unbearable, but others will find its well-worn world relentlessly interesting, even if it sometimes seems that Cassavetes is trying to prove otherwise.