Firstly, it's not a cookie-cutter remake of the original staring Mr. McQueen and Ms. Dunaway - so no comparison required.

You might say Brosnan was typecast by Bond, and the idea of a suave player getting one over on yet another woman might be the obvious outcome, but not this time! Instead we're treated to a sophisticated game of cops and robbers, played out in this stylish and seductive entertainment. Mr. Brosnan (Thomas) is at the top of his game and may be involved in something illegal. Ms. Russo (Catherine) is called in to investigate, claiming an office and sharing confidences with the local police department looking for clues. Catherine epitomises sophistication with hair, makeup and fashions styled to perfection. She's an understatement of success; a woman playing a man's game, bounty-hunting life and sex on her own terms and 'enjoying the chase'.

Once Catherine is on the trail of Thomas Crown you'll join her in a hedonistic game of one-upmanship. She's done this kind of work before and must stay on her toes if she's going to implicate the wealthy Thomas Crown. The local cops and cultured community believe Mr. Crown to be beyond reproach; an untouchable pillar of wealth and good taste.

These two characters exist in their luxurious world through strange circumstance and have made it their own through hard work and some bluffing. The movie provides glimpses into their lifestyles, and at the same time, keeps them both just outside what you'd expect from a wealthy businessman and a woman working for an insurance company.

Supporting character Mr. Leary makes a cynical, yet caring detective attempting to save face by nabbing Thomas Crown - however it's quite obvious in a city the size of New York that a bored millionaire looking for thrills by staging a theft is not his priority. Mr. Leary is guilty of a bit of cussing and jaded police behaviour, but ya 'gotta hope he's still on the force.

The story races from one clue to the next, and we glimpse a world where time means nothing, and money is just, well, not an issue. The film really sets the tone for the lush life with ultra-posh, elegant sets, millionaire-hobbies and exotic locations. The soundtrack is perfect, giving the entire movie an upmarket, worldly feel that befits a modern romance.

This is really a love story for anyone who imagines being whisked away from the mundane into places that you've only read or heard about in glossy magazines. It's a film for any person out there who'd like to have the freedom to do what they want and damn the consequences. Well, either that or have enough money to do anything, then disappear.

There is some hot on-screen chemistry between Thomas and Catherine, making the love scenes, coupled with the sexy music and breathtaking backgrounds, erotic. They have a healthy appetite for each other so the love scenes in his apartment and 'island retreat' are the 'stuff that dreams are made of.'

Yes, there are little snafus, such as a painting being folded in a manner that would permanently ruin it, and the usual gaffes that serious film-goers will pick over - but heck, it's just a movie and a love story - let yourself go and imagine you're a woman who's just crashed a black tie event in a dress making every man in the room salivate, or that you're the man she's heading for on the dance floor - then have fun with it . . .

In the end, for all their cunning, Thomas and Catherine must decide if they can trust each other, just like most men and women must do in any love story. What you may find hard to decide though, is who to root for, and who really wins the game of cat and mouse at the end of this movie.

If you've seen the original version and don't see the point in watching a different version of the same story don't worry; apart from the protagonist's name and general themes there are more than enough differences to make this worth watching.

Thomas Crown is one of New York's ultra-rich; he owns his own company and partakes in expensive sports. He is also bored. To alleviate that boredom he stages a heist in a museum and walks away with a painting valued at one hundred million dollars. The police start investigating and are soon joined by Catherine Banning, an insurance investigator hoping to save her employers from having to pay out. She quickly suspects Crown and soon a flirtatious game of cat and mouse begins as she tries to prove her suspicions and he leads her on without giving her the evidence she needs.

Remakes are seldom quite as good as the original, making them somewhat redundant, but thanks to the differences I'd definitely recommend this. The way the robbery takes place and later behaviour makes this Thomas Crown a slightly less amoral character. The robbery itself is enjoyable thanks to the way it is undertaken; the lack of real threat to people in the museum makes it easier to enjoy without feeling guilty. Once Catherine Banning arrives her character is at least as important as Crown and her pursuit of him is a lot of fun. The cast does a fine job most obviously Pierce Brosnan who is suitably suave as Crown and Rene Russo who brings a mature sexiness to the role of Banning. Overall I still prefer the original but still recommend this fun mix of crime and romance.