Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito in "Heist."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film an: Stars: Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito Director: David Mamet Rated: R, with profanity and violence Length: 111 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(November 9, 2001) -- An aging thief forced into one last score; a pudgy fence who sets up the operation; and a young punk the veteran is required to take along on the job.

That's the gang in Heist. Feel like deja vu all over again? We did just see that set-up in The Score earlier this year.

Both films were shot in Montreal, though only Heist pretends it's somewhere else.

On the surface, the chief difference would appear to be casting: Heist offers Gene Hackman instead of Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito instead of Marlon Brando, and Sam Rockwell instead of Edward Norton.

Both casts are superb -- with a slight nod to The Score for riveting performances by legendary actors.

But there are more subtle differences between the films.

Heist is the latest from writer-director David Mamet, a master of con-artist movies, which means you'll observe more twists than Chubby Checker in his heyday.

You'll also hear clever dialogue by a genius of the terse, biting language and invigorating, jagged speech patterns.

Nobody in The Score speaks as entertainingly as the characters in Heist. When somebody asks a Hackman underling whether the boss ever cracks under pressure, he's told, "He's so cool, when he goes to bed, sheep count him."

Hackman is Joe Moore, who wants to retire from his thievery career after a jewelry store's security camera captures his face.

His fence, Bergman (DeVito), urges Joe to one more score so he can retire in comfort. In fact, Bergman virtually blackmails Joe into the job.

Joe brings along his cohorts, including his clever, mischievous young wife (Rebecca Pidgeon) and the trustworthy Bobby (Delroy Lindo). But he's also forced by Bergman to use Jimmy Silk (Rockwell), a young loose cannon with a trigger finger.

The complicated caper involves the robbery of a gold shipment from a private cargo plane.

Mamet's plot delivers almost too many right and left turns to follow. I more enjoyed the straightforward robbery machinations in The Score.

But thanks to the writing and story structure, Heist is more satisfying as a character study. And Hackman and Lindo bring the wily old veterans wonderfully to life.

Whether your taste in capers swings toward The Score (due on video Dec. 11) or the more current Heist, you won't feel robbed by either film.