Heist Review
by Eugene Novikov (lordeugene_98 AT yahoo DOT com)December 17th, 2001
Heist (2001)
Reviewed by Eugene Novikov
http://www.ultimate-movie.com/
"Everybody needs money. That's why they call it money."
Starring Gene Hackman, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Danny De Vito, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay. Directed by David Mamet. Rated R.
I could almost hear the sighs of dissapointment that emerged from the mouths of Mamet fans everywhere when Heist, his newest effort, was released in theaters. Expectations for any Mamet film, of course, are ludicrously high, seeing as nearly all of his films are clever, sharp and witty windows into human nature (and I didn't know that windows could be witty until I wrote that sentence). Heist is not one of those films, nor does it pretend to be. It's simply fun, not in the way The Spanish Prisoner or Oleanna or Things Change have been fun, but on a more carnal, Die Hard with a Vengeance level. In fact, the only difference between it and the Bruce Willis vehicle is that it takes the intelligence level up a notch. And it has some classic Mamet lines.
Not only that, but the film delivers exactly what it title promises. The plot is, indeed, about a heist, though the simplicity of the title does not belie the twists and turns that this backstab-fest takes before two hours pass by. Gene Hackman, the most ubiquitous actor of 2001, plays Joe Moore, a veteran criminal who thinks that it's time to get out of the heist business. He appeals to Bergman (Danny De Vito), his bankroller, to give him his share of the last job and let him go, but no dice: Bergman wants him to do his magic one last time, in an airport ambush that could bring both of them the biggest payoff of their careers.
This sounds a lot like the The Score, the De Niro/Norton/Brando collaboration that was quietly released earlier this year, was quietly praised by critics and audiences, and just as quietly disappeared. It was a solid, comfortably old-fashioned flick; watching it was akin to sitting by your burning fireplace at Christmastime with a book and a cup of tea. Though I'd hesitate to call Heist a better film, there's no question that it takes more risks and nas a more complex plot. There's a whole group of thieves and would-be thieves (Hackman, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Ricky Jay, Rebecca Pidgeon) duking it out over the stolen gold, and just when you think one of them has gotten away with it, the film pulls the rug out from under your feet yet again.
Though Heist may lack the depth of insight prevalent in most Mamet films, there is still no doubt whatsoever that this is his movie. His trademark dialogue is omnipresent; in fact, it's some of his best ever, with quips like "Everybody needs money! That's why they call it money!" On a related note, anyone who wants to learn how to curse needs to see this; Mamet has long ago turned swearing into an artform, and he perfects that art here.
Without giving anything away, it should be noted that the only "payoff," in the generic sense of the word, that we get is Gene Hackman's self-satisfied smile. This is not a movie interested in dramatic confrontations hanging-off-the-catwalk climaxes. Most of the double-crosses and backstabbings happen surreptitiously, and we find out at the same time the characters do. We groan, but we appreciate the fact that Mamet trusts us enough to not spell out every single plot twist.
Mamet is physically incapable of making a bad movie. Heist falls short of brilliance, but like House of Games, Mamet's directorial debut, its effortless slight-of-hand is satisfying.
Grade: B
Up Next: The Man Who Wasn't There
©2001 Eugene Novikov
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