Die Münzraub-AG

United by dire circumstances, four unlikely allies from a Philadelphia prep school - the hacker, the slacker, the athlete, and the perfect student - band together to attempt the impossible: steal from the U.S. Mint.

I was drawn to this film because the director is somewhat of a celebrated figure. Everyone, myself included, is waiting to see if this apparently child prodigy makes a big name for herself in the world of film. So far she has done alright, but has not landed that one big hit quite yet.

This film goes through the motions, but ultimately could have been something made for ABC Family. I wish the "heist" part of the film had more punch. The danger is never really played up, and the consequences never seem all that dire, even though this must be an awfully illegal thing to even plan, let alone follow through on.

The story was so overly simple and not exciting in the least. The acting was on par with what you'd expect with this kind of movie. It was just a hard watch.

If you can appreciate a decent heist story pulled of by decent teenage characters, without Hollywood production values, then you should really give this a try.

Emily Hagins wrote and directed and I think she did a fine job with the adaptation from a novel. The narrative had a strong even pace and it never dragged. The young actors gave it their all, and I think they pulled it off just fine.

Don't be too critical of these small indie efforts, and you'll find a gem or two. "Coin Heist" may not have the huge budget that the "Oceans" series had, but the story was just as interesting and just as well told.

Enjoy it.

"Coin Heist" has so much potential given the premise. Four students endeavor to save their school financially by breaking into a US government mint and producing "error" coins that can be sold for millions. As it turns out, the father of one of these students embezzled $10M from the school's endowment fund, necessitating the operation.

Given the interesting and promising premise, this film could have been so much better. Instead, it is bogged down with horrible and banal dialogue that takes the audience nowhere. Also, there are scenes that are downright silly--the US government mint's only security seems to be two inept guards at the front desk and nothing else. Four teens can wander around the mint in this post 9/11 world without being questioned or even noticed. There doesn't even appear to be any cameras in place. How convenient, if you're a teen wanting to rob the place. There are also overly done stereotypes, the black kid from the wrong side of the tracks who is harassed by the rich white kid and the angst-ridden computer nerd.

Overall, the cast does a pretty good job with the material they are given; they are believable in their roles. Unfortunately, they are mired in a movie that just doesn't work.

Anyone who sees Coin Heist needs to have clear expectations as to what this film is and isn't. They should know going in to not expect the greatest heist movie you've ever seen or expect the production value to match some of Netflix's finest originals. Then again, it's definitely not the worst - it meets at an in-between mediocre groove that neither provides the audience with anything worth seeing and also doesn't "hurt" the viewer.

Right off the bat, the film's biggest flaw is its weak script and honestly cringe-worthy dialogue (more in the first half of the movie). The premise itself isn't inherently terrible but a few minutes into the movie, the audience will be able to tell it was written very poorly. Very, very poorly. Since this is such a big flaw, the movie itself suffers as a whole and doesn't make a great time.

That being said, there are some saving graces that make it easy to watch. First, the performances in general weren't bad. Particularly a few of the leads were actually good and the cast's effort in trying to sell the plot actually turned out believable in many cases. It's just a shame some decently talented actors are in a blander film then they should be. Second, it's shot consistency well throughout the picture. The cinematography and "look" to the film includes vibrant and visually compelling shots that make it even easier to watch. The editing also reflects a straightforward, precise feel that helps the film move at a very comfortable place that leaves no room for boredom.

If anyone is looking for an easy to watch, substance free flick to play at a party for some background entertainment, this will do just fine. If they're looking for a more well written movie to have a better time with and enjoy more thoroughly, this is far from it. Despite its strengths, the terrible writing does indeed place this movie in the "negatives" but definitely isn't the worst you'll find. All in all, it would be best to pass on this one since there are just so many better Netflix originals out there.