Once a Thief
“They only stop to reload.”
Three orphans grow up to become art thieves under the tutelage of a crime boss. Romance complicates matters when the trio are double-crossed.
Where to watch Once a Thief in United States
Criterion Channel
Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
Kanopy
Plex
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTubeClick a service to open Once a Thief there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is Once a Thief streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Kanopy, Plex | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| India | Plex | — |
| United Kingdom | Plex | Amazon Video |
| Canada | Criterion Channel, Crave, CTV, Plex | Apple TV Store |
| Australia | Plex | Amazon Video |
| Germany | Plex | — |
| France | Plex | — |
| Spain | Movistar Plus+, Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total , Plex | — |
| Brazil | Plex | — |
| Japan | Amazon Prime Video, U-NEXT, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Plex | Amazon Video |
About Once a Thief
Once a Thief is a 1991 cn-language action, comedy and thriller film directed by John Woo. The cast is led by Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung Cho-Hung. It has a runtime of 1h 49m. Viewers rate it 6.9/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Kanopy.
Once a Thief was produced by Golden Princess Film Productions, John Woo Film Production, and Milestone Pictures and made in Hong Kong. It was released on February 2, 1991, and carries a R certification. At the box office it grossed around $4 million worldwide.
- Director
- John Woo
- Writers
- Janet Chun Siu-Chun, Clifton Ko Chi-Sum, John Woo
- Release date
- February 2, 1991
- Original language
- cn
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Hong Kong
- Box office
- $4 million
- Production
- Golden Princess Film Productions, John Woo Film Production, Milestone Pictures
Once a Thief cast & crew
Once a Thief was directed by John Woo and written by Janet Chun Siu-Chun, Clifton Ko Chi-Sum, and John Woo.
The cast features Chow Yun-Fat as Red Bean Puddin / Joe, Leslie Cheung as James / Jim, Cherie Chung Cho-Hung as Red Bean / Cherie, Paul Chu Kong as Chu / Godfather, Kenneth Tsang as Chow / Dad, and Woo Fung as Mr. Cheung.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Violet Lam, cinematography is by Poon Hang-Sang, and it was produced by Terence Chang and Linda Kuk Mei-Lai.
Is Once a Thief worth watching?
Once a Thief holds an audience score of 6.9/10 from 181 ratings, a solidly received action films.
At 1h 49m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy action, comedy, and thriller, Once a Thief is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch Once a Thief
In United States, you can stream Once a Thief on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Kanopy, and Plex, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of Once a Thief
Chow Yun-Fat
Red Bean Puddin / Joe
Leslie Cheung
James / Jim
Cherie Chung Cho-Hung
Red Bean / Cherie
Paul Chu Kong
Chu / Godfather
Kenneth Tsang
Chow / Dad
Woo Fung
Mr. Cheung
Pierre Yves Burton
Mr. Burton
John Tang Yat-Kwan
Young Red Bean Pudding / Young Joe
Tong Ka-Fai
Young James / Young Jim
Leila Tong
Young Red Bean / Young Cherie
David Wu
Auctioneer
John Woo
Stanley Wu
Once a Thief — FAQs
▸Where can I watch Once a Thief in United States?
Once a Thief is streaming on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Kanopy, Plex in United States.
▸Is Once a Thief on Criterion Channel?
Yes — Once a Thief is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸What language is Once a Thief in?
Once a Thief is originally in cn, with audio tracks including Cantonese, English, French, Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is Once a Thief?
Once a Thief runs 1 hours 49 minutes (109 minutes).
▸What is Once a Thief rated?
Once a Thief is rated R. It holds a 6.9/10 audience score from 181 ratings.
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