Review of Thief (1981) by Richard D — 22 Apr 2018
James Caan stars as the titular thief ... a man who has spent a decade of his life in prison, has learned how to excel at high-end theft, and is working very hard to make up for lost time and manufacture a normal life for himself.
Two people turn up to contribute to that dream. He sets his sights on Tuesday Weld, a woman he barely knows, and after explaining his life and dream to her, she is on for the ride. Robert Prosky, a very well-connected fence, approaches him and asks him to work for him.
Caan will lose some of his freedom, but the rewards will be greater and he can get the house and family he wants even quicker. Things do not work out as he planned, and he takes extremely radical action to assert his identity.
Michael Mann completely emerges with his second film. The themes that are fully developed in "Heat" show up here ... as well as the precise attention to detail and the extreme glossy style. This film straddles the 1970's and the 1980's and has the virtues of the best films of both decades.
It's an existential character study of an extremely well-drawn character and it's high high gloss with a pulsing electronic soundtrack from Tangerine Dream. This is Caan's best lead performance.
This review of Thief (1981) was written by Richard D on 22 Apr 2018.
Thief has generally received very positive reviews.
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