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Last updated: 05 Jul 2026 at 11:41 UTC

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Review of by Stephen E — 12 Apr 2013

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John Cassavetes' gritty arthouse neo-noir is one of those films that you can immediately tell has influenced an entire generation of filmmakers. With its dark atmosphere, electric camerawork and improvisational directing style, "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" is less a straightforward drama about betrayal than it is a meditation on the life of a man coming to terms with being set up.

Ben Gazzara gives his most naturalistic performance as Cosmo Vitelli, the likable, aging club owner. "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" is hard to get into at first due to its detached, abstract style, but if you stick with it, you'll find yourself really involved.

This review of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) was written by on 12 Apr 2013.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie has generally received positive reviews.

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