Director Michael Mann is known for many films, including 1986's “Manhunter” (The first Hannibal Lector film), 1995's “Heat”, and 2004's “Collateral.” You may notice a trend there towards films about criminals. Mann also made movies like “The Last of the Mohicans,” but for the most part, there is a crime motif in his filmography. It makes sense, then, that his first feature film is titled, simply, “Thief.”
Based on the book The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar, “Thief” tells the story of Frank (James Caan), a safecracker. Frank is a bit of a loner, having spent 12 years of his life in prison, but he is trying to make a relationship work with Jessie (Tuesday Weld) while secretly pulling heists and working to get his friend (Willie Nelson) out of prison. Ultimately, Frank's efforts to leave the world of crime put him on the wrong side of a crime boss (Robert Prosky).
Despite weak supporting performances by Tuesday Weld and Willie Nelson, “Thief” manages to be a gripping and stylish neo-noir. The electronic score by Tangerine Dream pairs well with Michael Mann's signature nighttime cinematography, using literal shadow to underscore the darkness of his story. The heist scenes are technically fascinating, as Mann consulted real criminals on how to evade security systems and crack safes. James Caan is cool and contained as Frank, a man who has been taught by his trade and by years of incarceration to keep everything he feels locked inside. He succeeds perhaps too well, as Frank's isolation lends the story a bleakness that will put off some viewers. In the end, the tale feels a bit hollow, as Frank's motivations are locked away in a safe that even Michael Mann cannot crack.
3.5 stars out of 5
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