Heist films – and this one is called “Heist” – are as contrived as any rom-com: The old crook is on one last score, has a big screw-up whoops, and gets strong-armed by a higher-up villain pushing a real final game with a massive pay day, all seasoned by double crosses, switched vehicles, fake outs, shoot outs, the sad but quickly overlooked death, and the coup de grâce gotch’ya. David Mamet, he of the pen is mightier than the sword school of film, serves up no different a dish here. Gene Hackman is the old crook, and Danny DeVito is the higher-up (so to speak) villain. Much of “Heist” is clever, and the dialogue stings and slings, and bruises. Yet, it barely gets the heart pumping as we wait for the next surprise and shock, none surprising or shocking. There’s little joie de crime here as in “Ocean’s Eleven,” or spastic blood-letting as in “Reservoir Dogs.” The opening 1940s-era Warner Bros. logo is meant to recall storied classic film noirs, but the movie never rises to the occasion. All praises to the cast, especially Hackman and Delroy Lindo, who carry the film. B
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I agree with most of your commentary, however I find that "Heist" has an edge to it that is palpable but not overwhelming. The "quickly overlooked death" of Pinky (Ricky Jay) was a jolt to the viewer on a couple of levels; the ruthlessness of some criminals, the matter-of-fact way Pinky faced his assassin, and the quick elevation of creative burglary to murder...all done in moments with little dialogue. Nicely done, I say. The twist at the end just was just icing on the cake. I'm 62, and maybe my threshold for excitement is just a bit lower than yours. Anyway, nice blog.
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