Bus 657

This is a rather typical action thriller starring a skinny Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Robert De Niro. Kate Bosworth is the 3rd pre-title name but she has a really small part in this.

Mixed martial artist Gina Carano is also present but underused here having only a few seconds of martial art. TV's Mark-Paul Gosselaar has also a surprise role and he is giving s good performance. That can't be said about De Niro who - despite the fact that his character has many layers - gives a sub-par and boring performance.

Anyway, as I said the plot is rather typical about a ...Heist, (obviously). There are some shooting and car chases and roadblocks, a couple of twists, a little bit of melodrama...

It's not bad. It gets better as it progresses and with a Hollywood type conclusion that most people will find satisfying, although somehow unbelievable.

I am rating this movie for what it is, an action flick. This is not the archetypal Oscar selects we see, no deep exploration of the soul or clever vignettes about ordinary people in ordinary situations. This is an action flick.

In that context this movie check all right boxes. Cinematography: good, sound track: good, acting is..yes...its also good. But what makes this movie a 8/10 you may ask, why group this movie with so many other supposedly profound films? If you are willing to appreciate the action genre, i.o.w give this movie a fair shot you will judge it upon its ability to keep you thrilled and guessing (the holy grail of action movies). And this is where this movie succeeds.

Great performances performances by DeNiro, Morgan and Bautista.

I feel some parts needed a little more 'oomph' as it felt dragged out a bit - a directing issue perhaps, by novice director Scott Mann, but forgivable seeing this was his 2nd full length feature film.

The screenplay could've used some tweaking, but the story itself was great - both by novice writer Stephen C. Sepher.

I just wish I heard less of the overbearing constant score that needed to be toned down, but otherwise, an enjoyable crime drama - a gangster film with heart, and a well deserved 8/10 from me

Just terrible. Avoid. Was a disgrace to previously well done thrillers that involved buses.

"Heist" a/k/a "Bus 657" offers strong performances and decent production values. The script has several strengths. The characters are interesting and multifaceted and the dialogue is good. The characters are given backstories and complex histories with one another, but those histories aren't developed sufficiently for the audience to understand some of the choices the characters make.

Some aspects seem contrived, such as the girl's critical illness and urgent need for surgery that somehow leaves her appearing healthy and rosy-cheeked, the hospital's ultimatum or the lack of other options like crowd-sourcing fundraisers. One plot device seemed much more appropriate in a 1990 Bill Murray comedy than a gritty action film. A feared gangster takes extraordinary steps to prevent anybody from ever imagine they can steal from him, but is robbed twice in a week. The casino seems to have less security for its cash than most casinos have on their alcohol.

One wishes filmmakers would take the time to do some rudimentary research. There are numerous images on Google of one million dollars in hundred-dollar bills. If half the money were in twenties, it would take up three times as much space. Used bills occupy possibly twenty percent more space than new bills. If a character runs around with a bag that's too small to hold the amount of money it's supposed to hold, people are likely to wonder where the rest of the money is.

The script has more holes than Emmentaler. At times the characters seem to act without any comprehensible motive. At other times, they have very real and believable motives. The script has a couple of nice twists, although they really need a better foundation than a brief allusion or quick background shot to make them seem believable. It would have been nice to get to know some of the passengers, particularly as they make choices that impact the outcome.

With a little more effort and development, it could have been a really good script. Strong performances by Morgan and De Niro and interesting turns by Bautista and Chestnut make the film a worthwhile viewing experience.