Let's discuss how awful this movie was
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griff_2000 — 21 years ago(December 17, 2004 11:53 AM)
Let's discuss what bollucks you are saying considering thief shows us one of James Caans Powerhouse performances and is considered to be his best being at that point in his life he was at the peak of his drug addiction and his sister had died which all create his aggressive persona and a great story. Also the movie is true by not giving us a pathetic "happy ending" or then agian some over the top "un-happy ending". It is simple it is most probably what any other person would do, which is just walk off and go back to reality.
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parkermj — 21 years ago(January 22, 2005 08:03 PM)
This coming from someone who posted in forums for 'Christmas with the Kranks' and 'Untitled Texas Chainsaw Massacre Prequel.' Not exactly cinematic gold we're talking about.
example post:
I CAN SEE IT NOW..
TAGLINE "TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BIRTH OF LEATHERFACE"
NAH TOO DAVID CRONENBERG
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART -1?
TEXAS CHAINSAW : THE UNNECESSARY PREQUEL
TEXAS CHAINSAW : THE 1 BEFORE THE FIRST ONE!!!!!!
TEXAS CHAINSAW: LET US TAKE 2 HOURS OF YOUR LIVES TO MAKE A PROFIT OFF THIS beep
WHAT AN beep I AM BUT IN ALL RETROSPECTS IT WOULD BE ..NICE TO SAY THE LEAST TO SEE LEATHERFACE UP AND ABOUT BECAUSE I LOVE ANY OF THE TCM MOVIES. -
yucel81x — 21 years ago(December 22, 2004 07:39 AM)
This film in many ways is a percursor to "Heat". I like to think of it as "Heat" without the police element. Certain scenes are very similar (like the scene where Caan gets pulled over), not just because of Michael Mann's style of writing/directing, but I think in such a way that he was always trying to make a film like "Heat," but didn't get it exactly as he wished until 1995. In that regard you're right. From wanting to cast William L. Petersen in "Heat" before switching to do "Manhunter," to doing it as the TV movie "L.A. Takedown," it just seems like Mann had been trying for a long time to make "Heat" and "Thief" was the first stepping stone, both towards that project and towards being a successful director.
That said, I think both films have a lot of things going for it and I enjoy "Thief" just as much as "Heat." James Caan I think is a wonderful actor who was very believable at playing tough, yet principled, yet still flawed good guys, and really devious despicable bad guys. His role in "Thief" definitely struck me as one of his best, if not THE best, performances of his life. He plays his emotions so well, and makes it all work. The man has different sides to him. He can be a compassionate and caring man capable of sensitivity and romance (I thought his relationship with Tuesday Weld was very believable and touching, from what he says to her in the coffee shop to convince her to be with him, to the scene where he tells her what he doeswhich I thought was hilarious, and shows his principles as well, because Willie Nelson told him, "Lie to no one."), but he's also cold and methodical. That scene where he tells her to leave him and get out of his lifethat's such a great scene because it shows how much he loves her, but more than that it shows how deep his principles run.
Remember what Robert Prosky said to him, "You're not that guy anymore." He could not allow himself to be controlled, so he had to become that guy again, and that meant turning away anything and everything he had built up that could hold him back. The only way he could really get back his life is if he destroyed it. There's few things more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose. His friends were dead, his freedom was gone already, he had to remove everything. His wife, his child, his business, everything. That's why I think that scene is so powerful because in his facial expression alone, as cold as he is, you can tell that he is doing the most painful thing he can think of, and the most determined.
If a comparison there must be made to "Heat," "Have no attachments, have nothing in your life that you can not turn your back on in 30 seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner." The heat was on for Caan in this film, and I think the end shootout, as cliche as it might seem to end a film with a shootout, it is one of the most believable and one of the most logical (how else could it end?).
I can't tell you to like this film. I'm not much good at convincing and persuasion. I can only give my opinion of the film and hope that someone takes it to heart when considering their own opinions. In all honesty, some scenes did bore me, at least the first time around. But I watched it quite a few more times, and I can honestly say the film holds as much for me as "Heat" does. I think "Thief" is a good film. But that's me.
Note: Remember what Jon Voight said in "Heat" to Robert DeNiro when he was telling him about Pacino. "He took down Frank's crew in Chicago." Interesting connection. Makes one wonder what happened to him after he survived in "Thief." -
Howlin Wolf — 21 years ago(January 03, 2005 06:46 AM)
Actually, no; there's to be no 'discussion' - you're just
wrong
!!
Oh, go on then
Disjointed? In what way? Inane dialogue? ONE example to be going on with, please "Laughable direction"?? Surprising, considering I'd wager that most Mann afficionados could mark his progression from this to your well-received
Heat
, if put side-by-side for a 'comparison'
I look forward to your justifications, although I doubt you'll find many people who concur !
"I wish I could carry your smile in my heart, for times when my life feels so low" -
racer12_99 — 20 years ago(April 12, 2005 07:10 PM)
I have watched this movie SEVERAL times over the years, and I never get tired of seeing it. No matter what the ups and downs that people on here write about, I think the movie is Enjoyable. It is very Gritty and to the point. It portrays a side of life that some of us know about, and some of us don't. Everybody has different likes and dislikes. I have seen movies that I think are better(not a lot of tho), but I have seen a lot of movies that are a lot worse.
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Cubs_Fan08 — 19 years ago(August 28, 2006 06:49 PM)
I've been wanting to see this, and I really enjoyed it. But I was suprised how minute Dennis Farina's role was.
But I did enjoy the irony of Farina playing a mobster and John Santucci playing a police officer.
"The following occurs between (time frame). Events occur in real time." -
Matthew_Diamond — 13 years ago(July 21, 2012 10:35 AM)
Yeah, wasn't ironic, though?
Dennis Farina was a Chicago police officer in real life. John Santucci was a professional thief, and from what I understand he loaned many of the tools used in the movie. Santucci ended up back in prison after the movie was shot.
"I really don't like talking about my flair." -
Gladman — 19 years ago(September 03, 2006 10:54 AM)
The movie was terribleit started off ok, I like Jimmy C it started drifting into a bad TV movie of the week.
I rented it because of that dolt Frotto on the Stern channelhe said it was what the mafia was really like.
I can hardly believe I made it through the movie -
Casey73 — 19 years ago(September 24, 2006 11:57 PM)
Listening to a film opinion by anyone associated to do with Stern is like having a preschooler tutor you in quantum mechanics. If you thought Thief was terrible, watch a Seagal flick other than Above The Law (not that it's much better) then, having gained an idea of what is a terrible film, leave Thief to those who can appreciate a well-done crime film on a small scale.
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MonsterOfTheMiramichi — 19 years ago(September 25, 2006 02:50 AM)
This thread is absolute beep Thief is without a doubt one of the best crime movies ever made, the soundtrack and visuals are outstanding, and James Caan and Robert Prosky give brilliant performances. And one of the previous posters got it right, the ending is very good. its sad, because he has to give up on his wife and child in order for them to be safe, but its also great because he goes and wastes all of those despicable mob beep No one can slate this film.
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marlin-21 — 19 years ago(November 21, 2006 01:34 AM)
Petersen was the young guy with the baseball bat ? who bears down on Caan when he is arguing with Weld in the bar. Caan flashes the .45 he has in his waistband and Petersen heads for the tall trees !
I don't like Weld at all and I dislike but admire Caan ( it is easy to see why he didn't work for a long time since he had the reputation of being difficult.
Nevertheless, it is a bloody good movie although Prosky's use, in a 1981 movie, of the worst obscene name of the female organ, takes one's breath away.
As for the soundtrackit is just perfectamundo !