Review of The Brink's Job (1978) by Stuart K — 18 Apr 2010
After the financial disaster of Sorcerer (1977), and before the homosexual controversy of Cruising (1980). Director William Friedkin made a lower-budget, more commercially viable film, based on an amazing true story about a quite amazing heist.
But, it's made as a black comedy with a good cast to boot, but it's a change of pace for Friedkin. It begins in Boston in 1938, when rouge Tony Pino (Peter Falk) is sent to jail for robbery, but he gets out 6 years later.
He spends the next few years getting by, until he learns of a company in his neighbourhood called Brink's, which is a security transport company that ships money out to big businesses in the region.
Tony has a plan, and he gets his gang together including Joe McGinnis (Peter Boyle), Vinnie Costa (Allen Garfield), Specs O'Keefe (Warren Oates) and Jazz Maffie (Paul Sorvino) to pull off an elaborate heist, which happens on the night of January 17, 1950, after that, it caused a media frenzy.
It's an enjoyable little film, and quite likeable too, although it does get a little silly in places, it's important to remember that this is all true and it happened, but the cast is very good, Falk especially as the mastermind of the plot.
Friedkin should have made more films like this.
This review of The Brink's Job (1978) was written by Stuart K on 18 Apr 2010.
The Brink's Job has generally received positive reviews.
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