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I did actually like Public Enemies, but the general negative reception sort of confirmed the idea in my head that maybe he wasn't the guy I hoped he was after my first exposure with Collateral. But after watching Miami Vice a couple years later and really not caring for it, I sort of soured on Mann for a while. Even from the first time I saw it, I knew it was an instant favorite.
Thief 1981 robert prosky movie#
The first movie I saw from Mann was Collateral, which I absolutely love. One thing I will say, even though I didn't love this on the whole as much as I had hoped I might (despite liking parts of it plenty), I do think I need to officially reevaluate my stance on Michael Mann as being a director I don't entirely care for.
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There are some cuts during that final shootout that about had me laughing. The editing is particularly horrible in a few scenes, but especially so in the finale. But there are also some elements where he clearly needed to improve. In some regards it is still a good one, and I compliment Mann for being aware of what he was going for in terms of his aesthetic. It might also be worth pointing out that this definitely felt very much like a first feature to me. Also, it seemed like his connection with Jessie came about oddly fast (though maybe they had more of a history than I realized?). You can appreciate his mastery of his craft, but that only goes so far. Frank still bought his kid and treated Jessie like trash, so I wasn't exactly rooting for him to walk away unscathed. He isn't some everyman fighting against the machine, even if we do find out late in the film that Leo is way more corrupt and despicable than we realized. I just couldn't get on board with the idea that Frank was a character we were supposed to get behind. Still, I hard a hard time buying into everything else between the highlight moments. But the torch they used to break into that second vault was pretty impressive, I will admit. The second one lets us in on the planning phase a bit more, but it still feels like the focus of the film is elsewhere. The first one happens during the opening credits, and it's an efficient look at a master at his craft at work. But their presentation on the screen is still top-notch.
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There are two big heists in the film, but neither is given as much attention as I expected in terms of the preparation or execution of the actual crimes. Between the distinctly 80's soundtrack from some band I can honestly say I had never heard of before (and thus had no affinity for), the neon lights, the mostly quiet and casual conversations, and the methodical heist work, it's easy to get caught up in the better moments the film has to offer. The mood of the film is certainly something one could easily get lost in, and based on some of the reviews I've read that seems to be a popular talking point. But getting into this partnership proves to be much easier than getting out of it, as Frank will soon learn. Though he initially turns him down, Frank rethinks the proposition after he suspects it might mean a quicker road to the easy life for him and his girlfriend, Jessie (Tuesday Weld). But with the payment comes a job offer as well, as Leo has secretly been the moneyman behind all of Frank's independent scores since he got out of prison. The trail eventually leads him to a nighttime meeting with a man he's never met before named Leo (Robert Prosky), who kindly pays him the cash back. But when the messenger with the money is thrown off a building before he can deliver the cash, Frank has to track down whoever double-crossed them. After another successful job boosting some diamonds to start the film, Frank (James Caan) and his team are riding high after their proposed sale promises a payday of close to $200,000.