Crime films are a staple of modern movies. Whether trying to be funny (last year’s “Snatch,” the upcoming “Ocean’s 11”) or serious (this year’s “The Score”), these movies provide a little guilty pleasure for watching bad people do bad things in the hopes of striking it rich.
And almost no one can do crime-caper movies like David Mamet, the famed writer-director-playwright who is responsible for the new movie “Heist.” With other crime flicks such as 1987’s “House of Games” and 1998’s “The Spanish Prisoner” under his belt, his newest foray into the world of crime is a blast to watch. The dialogue is great, the script is strong and the acting is top of the heap. And to think, I never get quoted on movie posters.
Joe Moore (the great Gene Hackman) is an aging thief with a hot young wife, money supposedly on the way and a big boat he plans to sail down south when he retires. We meet him on a job that, because of an unfortunate twist, goes bad, forcing Joe to be caught on tape. Now officially wanted, he decides to high-tail it out of town one job early.
But his longtime friend Bergman (a superb Danny DeVito) doesn’t like the sound of Joe’s new plan, and demands that he do one last big job to recoup all of his expenses. Bergman even withholds all of Joe’s money from the last job to ensure he goes along.
Of course, Joe can’t go south without loot, and the plans get underway, as do the double-crosses. First off, Bergman insists that his right-hand man and nephew Silk (Sam Rockwell) join Joe and his crew on the job. Not only does he look like and have a name like a ’70s pimp, but he’s green as hell and untrustworthy in the eyes of Joe and company. But he’s there to make sure Joe doesn’t grab the loot and skip town, among other things.
Rounding out Joe’s crew are Bobby and Pincus (played to perfection by Delroy Lindo and Ricky Jay, respectively), as well as Fran (Rebecca Pidgeon) who is not only the only female member of the crew, but also Joe’s wife.
Things begin to go bad when Fran begins sleeping with Silk, for some odd reason. Joe suddenly begins to have difficulty knowing who to trust, and the crew begins to get dodgy about how things are going.
They try to shake Silk, but in the end they find it necessary to keep him around. They pull off the job, and that’s where the real double-crossing begins.
As an audience, the last half-hour can get real confusing. It’s hard to know what’s what with all the revelations and threats. We get surprise after surprise after the prize jumps from hand to hand, with everyone reaching into the pot in an attempt to get their piece.
The last half hour is also where the bulk of the tension lies, as we watch to see where the money is going to end up. Of course, we all know who to put our bets on, but it’s sure a blast to watch.
Unfortunately, many David Mamet movies are relegated to the cult section, with the Mamet fan club checking it out and few other viewers taking the time, what with movies like “Monsters, Inc.” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” to watch. But movie fans would do well to give it a go. It’s a great movie with great writing, great acting and a great story. What more can you ask for?
