Heist

Directed by David Mamet, Heist follows master thief Joe Moore (Gene Hackman) as he and his crew (Delroy Lindo’s Bob, Rebecca Pidgeon’s Fran, and Ricky Jay’s Pinky) reluctantly agree to pull off a tricky job for a shady figure (Danny DeVito’s Mickey). Filmmaker Mamet, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a dialogue-heavy thriller that, while consistently watchable, never quite becomes as engrossing or gripping as one might’ve anticipated, as the movie’s been suffused with a plot-heavy sensibility that results in a fairly palpable lack of forward momentum – with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by an erratic pace and overlong running time. It’s equally clear, however, that Heist benefits substantially from a narrative bursting with surprising twists and plot developments, and there’s little doubt, as well, that Mamet has packed the proceedings with sterling performances and endlessly quotable instances of dialogue (eg “[he’s] so cool, when he goes to bed, sheep count him”). By the time the genuinely unpredictable final stretch rolls around, Heist has cemented its place as a hit-and-miss endeavor that’s rarely, if ever, as completely captivating as Mamet has surely intended. (The picture’s assortment of agreeable, compelling attributes goes a long way towards cultivating a perpetually watchable atmosphere, at least.)

**1/2 out of ****