Also having Michael Mann at the handle is not a bad thing.
#Thief 1981 movie movie#
He really carries the movie and he does so with ease. Now if you know him or his movie, I'm not telling you anything new, still I had to point that out right from the start. Overall, the film may be a little too overlong, but it is gritty, stylish and enjoyable modern noir. Yes, the music and clothes are dated looking now, but the essence of the film has held up well and it feels very gritty. Support is OK but all of them really come a far second behind the lead of Caan. He dominates the film and he doesn't even try to be a likable character and gives a really gritty intense performance. The main reason the film really worked for me was a great performance by Caan. The `daytime' narrative doesn't work as well and doesn't make much sense until the conclusion explains why the build up was important. The dark tone to the film carries it well and the action is pretty exciting. The actual plot is pretty exciting and sees Frank trying to get out of the game (with his one last job) and start a new life for himself. However this isn't a major problem as the film has a dark style that rises above the very 80's touches (thanks a lot Tangerine Dream) and comes off as a pretty enjoyable noir. This film struggles all the way but only because it looks and sounds so dated. However he finds that working under contract brings more problems than he'd planned for. When his fence dies, he goes to the boss Leo who takes him on as an employee on a big job. However back on the outside he is married and trying to adopt. He made it through prison by `not caring' about anything at any time.
#Thief 1981 movie professional#
The language is very tough and the story is at times quite violent.įrank is a professional thief. By the way, for 1981 the story is pretty rough and is NOT a film I'd recommend you see with kids or your mother. It's taut and exciting.and well worth seeing even if nearly everyone in the story is scum. Normally, stories with no heroes are very hard to watch and enjoy.but the story works so well with so many fine performances, direction and a great script that it manages to overcome the lack of likable people in the film. But instead, there is some misdirection.and 30 more minutes to the story after this deal is complete. Amazingly, the actual robbery goes off very quickly and well.and the film actually spends very little time on what you assume will be the big finale. Frank agrees.but insists it's his last job, as he's retiring to a life as a husband and family man. Leo (Robert Prosky) has a proposition.to rob a seemingly impenetrable safe. While Frank is doing great on his own committing various high value robberies, he is approached by a mobster who seems to have everyone in his pockets. But at least with Frank, what he says he will do, he will do.and so he's honest.in his own way. The rest of the folks in the film, including the cops and a judge, are crooks and cannot be trusted. The lead is the anti-hero, Frank (James Caan), a career thief who is great at his job.but who also is a loner. "Thief" is an unusual film in that there are no heroes.only thugs.