Thief Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1981

Thief was the brilliant cinematic debut for director Michael Mann, who previously worked on television, as well as actors James Belushi and Dennis Farina, both of which took their masterful performances in this film and turned them into long-lived Hollywood careers that are still going strong to this day. But what really sets this crime-drama apart from nearly all others is the career-defining performance of James Caan as a professional and fiercely independent jewel thief that runs afoul of the mob.

"I wear $150 slacks. I wear silk shirts. I wear $800 suits. I wear a gold watch. I wear a perfect D. flawless 3-carat ring. I change cars like other guys change their f**king shoes. I'm a thief! I've been in prison, alright?"

And it's with that self-description that we are introduced to Frank (James Caan), an independent jewel thief that makes off with a score with his partner Barry (James Belushi) in the opening moments of the film. He agrees to sell the diamonds for the sum of $185,000 to Joe Gags (Hal Frank), a local fence, but his payment never arrives when a mobster working for Leo (Robert Prosky), the head of a mob family, kills Gags and makes off with the cash.

After Frank pays a visit to the mobster demanding his money back, Leo meets with the angry thief during a dark evening and returns the cash while also extending an enticing offer: put his skills to work for him and get paid generously. Frank takes pride in the fact he works for no one but himself, so he initially declines the offer.

Jewels and money aren't the only things on Frank's mind, nor are they his primary motivation. After having spent almost ten years in prison, Frank dreams of leaving the criminal life behind and settling down with a wife and children as evident in a proposal he extends to his love interest on their first date:

Frank: I am a straight arrow. I am a true blue kind of a guy. I've been cool. I am now unmarried. So let's cut the mini-moves and the bulls**t and get on with this big romance!

Faced with such a romantic proposal, Jessie (Tuesday Weld) agrees to marry the ex-convict, providing incentive for Frank to reconsider the employment offer that Leo extended to him days earlier. The mob leader and Frank both agree to one big score that will lead to a payoff of $830,000… enough for Frank to turn his back on the criminal life forever.

Upon the completion of the job Leo fails to pay the full amount owed, and to make matters worse he refuses to allow Frank to quit. But Frank refuses to be controlled by anyone, so this sets the stage for a dangerous confrontation that puts not only his own life in jeopardy, but also that of his family and long-time crime partner.

Although the plot summary may make this movie sound like a gritty mafia film along the lines of Goodfellas and The Godfather, Thief is actually a character-driven drama that is sparse on actual violence. Rather than a liability, it's the secret to the film's success. Thanks to a sharp script, painfully accurate authenticity (real professional thieves were hired as consultants) and an inspired performance by James Caan, we get drawn into this hard-edged jewel thief's dark world. The film doesn't require an excess of action scenes to make it suspenseful, and that is the mark of an absorbing and well-crafted story.

James Caan may be the star of the show, but honorable mentions must be extended to Robert Prosky for his performance as the ruthless mob leader. His character Leo has a very amiable and disarming demeanor throughout most of the film, but when it's time for the mobster to show his fangs he does so with menacing conviction. Willie Nelson's brief appearances as Okla, Frank's mentor and near-father figure, is also a highlight. The rest of the supporting cast take a backstage to the main characters, but each performs solidly and keeps the film flowing.

Thief is a virtually perfect character-driven crime-drama that doesn't receive the recognition it deserves twenty-plus years later, but can justifiably be classified as a masterpiece.

Movie rating: 10 stars

If you enjoyed Thief you may also find the following films to be of interest:

Enjoy the Thief experience in the comfort of your own home with these products!

DVD

Soundtrack

Movie Sitemap

Wondering if the Netflix service is all
it's cracked up to be? Read our
detailed review and find out!