James Caan gives the best performance of the 1980s as an intense, no-nonsense, high-end thief who plans to take one last job before he and new girlfriend Tuesday Weld can retire to a far-off island.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
His plans go deadly wrong after hooking up with shady criminal mastermind Robert Prosky, who slowly gains control over Caan's life, until, of course, an explosive finale where Caan has to decide whether to fall in-line or stay true to his own criminal code.
One heck movie from Michael Mann, who later explored the same themes in "Heat." Caan's intensity is terrifying and the guy handles a gun better than anyone. See it now.
The review of this Movie prepared by Eugene Driscoll
First movie of Michael Mann, THIEF has been theatrically released in 1981.
James Caan is a successful car dealer during the day and a specialized jewel thief at night. He is 35 years old, has spent 11 years in prison and does exactly know what he wants from life : a nice woman, children, a house and his friend Willie Nelson out of prison. He is proposed by the local godfather a juicy arrangement; the mob hires him and provides him with opportunities so that he could only concentrate on his job, the mob taking care of all the details. James Caan agrees to lose his independence for a contract or two as he is needing fast cash now : he's just met Tuesday Weld who fits very well into Caan's dream and he must take arrangements to get a dying Willie Nelson out of prison. But things don't go as foreseen as the mob invests, without his consent, his share of his first contract and the Chicago police wants its 10% share of the deal. Caan understands but too late that he has lost his independence and his liberty.
Superb first movie.
The review of this Movie prepared by Daniel Staebler
