The Art of the Steal

Seldom writing reviews, but this one deserved it... just because it got such a low rating.... the movie fulfills the promise of the genre - it's a heist movie, with a bit of comedy in it, and actually funny comedy... and it has interesting plot, with good twist... the acting could be better, the camera could be better, the story could have been better...everything could have been better, but then it would be another movie. This movie deserves higher rating, if for no other reason, then just because it delivers the promised. it s not a masterpiece, it s just a good movie to watch when you want to be entertained... not many movies these days do so, so i must say: bravo,finally!

Another heist movie with a little bit of humor. Why not? If I had to choose between the Ocean's heist movies and The Art of the Steal I would go for this one. It's basically the same, a heist explained by a narrating voice, but this time with a touch of humor. Not that you will laugh a lot or so, well at least I didn't, but it was an easy movie to watch. Not too much complicated entertainment for a laid back movie night. The cast is good, the conversations between the two brothers played by Russell and Dillon are fun to watch. In the middle of the movie I thought it was going down a bit but the end saved it all. There are enough good twists to make this movie better then the average heist movie.

"If you got no trust that what do you got?" Crunch (Russell) and Nicky (Dillon) are brothers and partners in crime. When a job goes bad and they are both caught only Crunch ends up doing time. When he gets out he tries to go straight and becomes a motorcycle daredevil. When he tires of crashing for a few hundred bucks he agrees to pull off one last heist with his old team. They only thing standing in their way of pulling off the perfect heist is trust. This movie was a great surprise for me. I knew nothing about this going in and I think that helped my enjoyment of it. The movie was super fun to watch, really funny with a smart plot. This is the closest heist movie to the Ocean's series that has been made. Just like the Ocean's series the heist itself is fun to watch and the pay off brings it over the top. This is the kind of movie you can't say too much about without giving anything away but what I can say is watch this. One of the biggest surprises and funnest movies I have seen in a while. Overall, heist movie fans will love this...I did. I give this an A-.

Motorcycle rider Crunch Calhoun (Kurt Russell) is in a crew with his half-brother Nicky Calhoun (Matt Dillon), Paddy MacCarthy (Kenneth Welsh), and forger Guy (Chris Diamantopoulos). Their mark is Stash Bartkowiak who had a stolen Gauguin from an Oslo gallery. They are discovered and Nicky rats out Crunch. Seven years in a Polish prison (5 1/2 with good behavior) later, Crunch is out and out of crime for good. He's daredevil motorcycle riding working with his girlfriend Lola (Katheryn Winnick) and apprentice Francie Tobin (Jay Baruchel). Interpol Agent Bick (Jason Jones) is after a stolen Seurat with the help of informant Samuel Winter (Terence Stamp). Nicky outsmarts them and double cross Sunny who then threatens Crunch for his money. Crunch is pulled back in with Nicky.

There are too many capers and too many complicated expositions. Writer/director Jonathan Sobol has pack this in with so many characters. It's a lower grade Guy Ritchie in Canada. He is starting to solidify his style along with 'A Beginner's Guide to Endings'. However this is a little bit too ambitious for him. Dillon-Russell anchors it with a complicated cute relationship. There are some funny bits, some fun dialog, and a whole lot of fun-like wacky. There is a particularly funny art piece. In the end, it just needs more comedy and a more simplified story.

There were a ton of great suprises with this one! The one liner jabs were priceless...the scenes that made you jump were terrific...just a great movie all around. The only crticism I have us the ending...very soft ending. I think they could've given that a better shot.