Review of Heist (2001) by Brandon H — 06 Jan 2010

Just a few weeks ago I watched "Get Shorty," which carries over three of these same actors. I was less impressed by this showing. DeVito was less convincing and Gene was less interesting. There are far too many double crosses. As usual, the Mamet effect is that of wildly hit and miss dialogue, timing an incredibly important factor. That's the thing about Mamet; his dialogue is almost always smart, but depending on the actor delivering the lines, and the timing within the scene, the lines are either awkward or spot-on.

I do appreciate the great attention to detail in the heist scenes, the planning, and the reserved nature of the characters-- here, as opposed to so many other heist flicks, we do not have an unbelievable idiot who causes all the conflict. Here the conflict, as twisty-turny as it is, comes from genuine motives.