MOVIE REVIEW

Heist  (2001)

Starring: Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo
Director: David Mamet

Rating: R

Studio: Warner Bros.

Review Posted: 11.14.01

Spoilers: Minor

By Craig Younkin

Where would we be this year if not for the heist thriller? This appears to be the only genre left that is using at least an ounce of intelligence in the plotting. "The Score", and now the much better David Mamet movie "Heist" are each formulaic films, but that's just a minor flaw in otherwise good stories that get more and more intense as they go along.

Robert DeNiro played the role of aging thief looking to call it quits in "The Score", but Gene Hackman just completely overshadows him as Joe Moore, a guy looking to pack up with his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon) and head for warm climate. Only a problem comes when Joe is accidentally photographed by a security camera during his last job.

This makes his set-up guy, Bergman (Danny DeVito), very nervous and so he denies Joe the money he needs to finally retire. Of course he also has another job waiting in the wings, and Joe is the only guy desperate enough for cash to take it.

Along with his usual gang, which includes his buddy Bobby (Delroy Lindo), Pinky (Ricky Jay) and his wife, he is also saddled with Bergman's hot headed nephew Jimmy (Sam Rockwell), a lame who could kill the entire job, but is also the cautious Bergman's only inside man; there to make sure Joe doesn't make any sudden changes.

But if you have ever seen a movie like this before, you know there are going to be a lot of sudden changes. Mamet litters his script with air tight plot twists, most of which are very good.

The dialogue in this film takes front and center though. There is an easy blend of humor and tough guy banter between each character. Every word spoken sounds really cool because Mamet puts a really creative spin on almost every line he writes down. An example would be when Ricky Jay says "he's so cool, that when he goes to sleep, sheep count him." This is just an undeniably effective effort to enliven each scene, and luckily it keeps on coming as the film goes along.

And as it goes with all great dialogue, you have to have good delivery as well and each member of the cast is game for that. Hackman, always a man with a commanding screen presence, manages to show Joe's fervor and intelligence, while DeVito is absolutely perfect as his constantly enraged nemesis. The final showdown between these two characters is really a thrill.

The other actors, including Delroy Lindo and Sam Rockwell, each do nice work as well. All together, Heist is one of the better-crafted films of the year, and is really a steal if a good thriller is what you're looking for.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4