We take it for granted now, but Michael Mann’s feature debut Thief was one of the first crime thrillers that took style and substance very seriously—so much so that its neon-lit, rain-soaked, slightly tilted shots continue to be markers of the genre. Thief is visually and sonically stunning, but the titular criminal, Frank, is most remarkable. Caan plays him with such heart, you have to wonder if he’s gone through the same things. Here’s a guy who was handed a tough hand. Violence is the only life he’s known, but he aspires for a better one, filled with a nice home, a happy family, and financial security. His means may be illegal, but our ends are the same: we all just want a comfortable life. How Frank pursues it with such ferocity is thrilling and tragic to watch.
"Thief achieves formal neatness at the expense of complexity, humor, and even minimal plausibility, but the very eccentricity of the movie makes it intriguing, and I love the look of it."
— David Denby
"A slick Chicago crime-drama with a well-developed sense of pathos running throughout."
— Variety Staff
Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.
Jewel thief Frank (James Caan) wants to retire soon and start a family, but his plans are thwarted when he partners with crime boss Leo (Robert Prosky), who threatens to ruin him if he leaves.
The language of Mann’s film feels so fresh, even now, decades after his cinematic debut. The titled angles, the natural dialogue, the shaky camera, the neon glow…plenty of crime thrillers before it were cheesy, but Mann helped redefine it into something cool.
I doubt a movie has ever looked this damn cool.
Cannes
1 nomination
