Maiden Heist (2008) The Maiden Heist quickly sold out at its opening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It's a light-hearted caper that makes for undemanding viewing. It is a fairly entertaining comedy heist film starring Morgan Freeman, William Macy, and Christopher Walken. Plot. Great art has its protectors every day in the major museums. Three guards are more than dedicated to the job they do. Their museum brings in modern work that has no appeal to the guards, and the museum authorities plan to sell the classic pieces, sending them elsewhere in the world. When Roger (Christopher Walken) and George (William H. Macy) and Charles (Morgan Freeman) find their long-beloved work transplanted to Europe, they not only miss their favorite art pieces, but they make plans to steal the works with which they have become obsessed. Roger becomes the mastermind of an inside plot to perform the biggest art heist in the history of their museum. First each must obtain a forgery; then, they have to smuggle the forgeries into the museum and find a way to make the switches. The heist is complicated by Roger's intrusive wife - he's promised her a trip to Florida for their anniversary - and George's proclivity for taking his clothes off when standing in front of the warrior statue he loves. THE MAIDEN HEIST was originally going to have a theatrical release, but the bankruptcy of the Yari Film Group put the film in a direct to DVD status. It feels like a 70s movie that Walter Matthau and Jack Lemon would have done, where slightly nutty characters would made the film but that's not the case anymore. This is a comedy that might make Woody Allen fans recall (affectionately) Small Time Crooks, even though this film is very different to Allen's caper. The Maiden Heist isn't another turkey unceremoniously dumped to Netflix. It's an above average straight-to-DVD effort, it is weaker than one might expect considering its power stars in the cast . It's really quite an entertaining comedy though more could have been done but I like it OK as it was. Not a great film but not a bad film 3 stars.
61 Reviews
A fun little movie
kosmasp3 August 2010
That could. Not because of the story so much, but more because of the actors that are in it. And is it a bad thing, that this movie works mainly because of the three main actors? Don't be fooled by the mention of Breckin Meyers though, he doesn't have a big role in this (just in case you're a fan of his).
No this movie belongs to the "big three". Mainly to Christopher Walken, because he is the lead. But everyone else gets his time and they are really great. They have funny scenes and the movie roles along quite nicely. Maybe if it had a better script, a greater antagonist (there really isn't one), it could have been better. But it is a nice watch and a good film.
No this movie belongs to the "big three". Mainly to Christopher Walken, because he is the lead. But everyone else gets his time and they are really great. They have funny scenes and the movie roles along quite nicely. Maybe if it had a better script, a greater antagonist (there really isn't one), it could have been better. But it is a nice watch and a good film.
A fun little Movie with a Super Cast
docm-3230430 October 2020
When I saw the cast, I put this on my watchlist, regardless of any ratings. Christopher Walken is his usual freak self and wait until you see Morgan Freeman and Macy's haircuts...hilarious on their own. I found the film engaging and humorous...not a roll on the floor comedy, just humorous. Worth a watch
Like Freeman's THE CODE, a mix of the decent and not-so-decent
Wizard-825 November 2009
What's up with Morgan Freeman appearing in heist movies that go direct to video? Just a few months ago we got THE CODE, and now we have THE MAIDEN HEIST. Actually, it does appear that THE MAIDEN HEIST was originally going to have a theatrical release, but the bankruptcy of the Yari Film Group put an end to those plans and no other distributor seemed interested in releasing it to theaters.
Based on that fact, you might think that this is a bad movie, but it's not. There are some positive things about it. The production values are pretty strong for what was reportedly a somewhat limited budget; nothing about the movie looks cheap. The planning of the heist and the execution of the heist have some believable complications, and what's done about them are believable as well. Some humorous touches are amusing. Freeman, Walken, and Macy play a likable bunch of fellows that you hope will succeed.
But there's also some not-so-decent things about the movie. The violent opening fantasy sequence seems way out of place with its harsh tone. Except for Walken's character, we don't learn too much about the characters in the movie. There are some unexplained things in the movie, like where the thieves got the van and how Walken's character adjusted the vacation he was going to take with his wife. The main problem, however, is that while the movie is refreshingly low key, it's TOO low key. It's lacking a bit more edge to it. Some more excitement or some more laughs would have helped a lot.
Maybe it's best that this didn't land in theaters; I wouldn't have recommended to pay full price to see it in a theater. But if you like caper movies, like any or all of the three lead actors, and you can see it for little or no cost, it's an acceptable time waster.
Based on that fact, you might think that this is a bad movie, but it's not. There are some positive things about it. The production values are pretty strong for what was reportedly a somewhat limited budget; nothing about the movie looks cheap. The planning of the heist and the execution of the heist have some believable complications, and what's done about them are believable as well. Some humorous touches are amusing. Freeman, Walken, and Macy play a likable bunch of fellows that you hope will succeed.
But there's also some not-so-decent things about the movie. The violent opening fantasy sequence seems way out of place with its harsh tone. Except for Walken's character, we don't learn too much about the characters in the movie. There are some unexplained things in the movie, like where the thieves got the van and how Walken's character adjusted the vacation he was going to take with his wife. The main problem, however, is that while the movie is refreshingly low key, it's TOO low key. It's lacking a bit more edge to it. Some more excitement or some more laughs would have helped a lot.
Maybe it's best that this didn't land in theaters; I wouldn't have recommended to pay full price to see it in a theater. But if you like caper movies, like any or all of the three lead actors, and you can see it for little or no cost, it's an acceptable time waster.
Good actors & a predictable storyline ... an innocent satirical comedy.
CinemaAddict25 October 2009
This film has less to do with art than some might suggest. Rather, this great satire is centred on the ridicule of the modern man. Having rid himself of any history, cultural belief and, ultimately, of his identity, in the name of liberty, equality and multiculturalism while the superficial industrial regimes imposed their utilitarian philosophy during the last couple centuries, the meaninglessness of the modern man's life is ever so flagrant.
Peter Hewitt casts great actors to play the role of museum security guards who have spent the better part of their lives standing still. Each of these guards becomes attached to and finds meaning for his life in one of the pieces of art of the museum. However unexciting the main storyline might be, Hewitt uses the script to build this satire on so much realism that it makes for a good comedy.
If you are looking for a light and innocent comedy, can look past a couple stereotypes and predictable twists, than you might enjoy this movie.
Peter Hewitt casts great actors to play the role of museum security guards who have spent the better part of their lives standing still. Each of these guards becomes attached to and finds meaning for his life in one of the pieces of art of the museum. However unexciting the main storyline might be, Hewitt uses the script to build this satire on so much realism that it makes for a good comedy.
If you are looking for a light and innocent comedy, can look past a couple stereotypes and predictable twists, than you might enjoy this movie.
painting trumps heist
Quinoa198417 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
It's a curious and odd thing to see a movie about art and and a heist where the art trumps the heist. But here we have The Maiden Heist, about three semi-bumbling thieves who work as security guards and want to save their favorite pieces of art (two paintings and a sculpture) before they're shipped off to a Copenhagen museum, and it is just that.
I wish this could have been a movie to really be excited about, for it to be one of those hidden gems that one finds went straight to DVD unjustly and that it should be discovered. That wish is moot as the film is what it is: a straight to DVD movie, deservedly, on the basis of its weak characterizations and direction. It's not that anything is particularly awful or really contrived in the film, it's just that nothing is very interesting either.
The cast (Freeman, Macy, Walken, Harden) should be the big reason to rent the film- matter of fact, over paintings and heists, the reason I did- but they're only given so much to do with their characters put into lackluster comic situations, such as the preparation for the heist (how to climb down a roof-top by Christopher Walken should also be a highlight, but alas is not). What is interesting though is seeing scenes where the characters confront their morbid obsession (or lack thereof) for their works of art, like when Walken flashes to fighting off a horde of thieves (ironically enough) in the opening sequence for the painting, or when Freeman, disappointed, shows that he can't really paint Walken's painting as a fake, only his own favorite. And the heist itself, while not bad, is a far cry from ones to aspire to see.
It's a flawed work that is perhaps just about right for a nothing-to-do weekend movie when on TV, but coming from such immense talents as the three males and one female stars it's a downer. Or rather, a work that doesn't have as much 'there-there' as it should.
I wish this could have been a movie to really be excited about, for it to be one of those hidden gems that one finds went straight to DVD unjustly and that it should be discovered. That wish is moot as the film is what it is: a straight to DVD movie, deservedly, on the basis of its weak characterizations and direction. It's not that anything is particularly awful or really contrived in the film, it's just that nothing is very interesting either.
The cast (Freeman, Macy, Walken, Harden) should be the big reason to rent the film- matter of fact, over paintings and heists, the reason I did- but they're only given so much to do with their characters put into lackluster comic situations, such as the preparation for the heist (how to climb down a roof-top by Christopher Walken should also be a highlight, but alas is not). What is interesting though is seeing scenes where the characters confront their morbid obsession (or lack thereof) for their works of art, like when Walken flashes to fighting off a horde of thieves (ironically enough) in the opening sequence for the painting, or when Freeman, disappointed, shows that he can't really paint Walken's painting as a fake, only his own favorite. And the heist itself, while not bad, is a far cry from ones to aspire to see.
It's a flawed work that is perhaps just about right for a nothing-to-do weekend movie when on TV, but coming from such immense talents as the three males and one female stars it's a downer. Or rather, a work that doesn't have as much 'there-there' as it should.
Based on Danish movie
thomasbager8 May 2011
During this movie it slowly occurred to me that its, very much based on a series of danish movies named "Olsen Banden" which translates = "The Olsen Gang" Christoffer Walkens wife's character is completely based on the wife of one of the characters in "Olsen Banden" as well, even their dilemma about cancelling their vacation, because of the heist, is taken from the same series of movies.
In this clip they are talking about having to cancel their vacation as well, notice she speaks, and dresses the same :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAAAQaHaDlg ...even the danish security guard in the end of the movie, is like a tribute to the danish movies, because the jacket that he wears would certainlu not be worn in todays Denmark, but was featured many times in these danish 70's movies. Also, even the mention of Denmark is a tribute. So the makers of "The Maiden Heist" certainly haven't tried to hide the fact that they were influenced by "Olsen Banden".
In this clip they are talking about having to cancel their vacation as well, notice she speaks, and dresses the same :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAAAQaHaDlg ...even the danish security guard in the end of the movie, is like a tribute to the danish movies, because the jacket that he wears would certainlu not be worn in todays Denmark, but was featured many times in these danish 70's movies. Also, even the mention of Denmark is a tribute. So the makers of "The Maiden Heist" certainly haven't tried to hide the fact that they were influenced by "Olsen Banden".
Very enjoyable
dierregi20 September 2023
It's easy to see that the target of this movie is middle aged folks, but what's wrong with that and most of all, it's not like only the younger deserve to be entertained.
The three main characters are the great Freeman, Macy and especially Walken, as the protagonist Roger, one of the most "normal" characters I ever saw Walken playing. Except that Roger is a museum guard and "in love" with the maiden in a painting.
When the museum decides to ship the maiden and other works of art to Denmark, Roger panics and enlist two other guards, respectively in love with a small painting of a girl pouring milk to cats and a bronze athlete's statue, to steal their objects of desire.
What ensues is hilarious and I even laughed out loud more than once, because the thieves are elderly, not athletic and unexperienced and yet don't want to give up. Real fun and excellent interpretations by the whole cast.
The three main characters are the great Freeman, Macy and especially Walken, as the protagonist Roger, one of the most "normal" characters I ever saw Walken playing. Except that Roger is a museum guard and "in love" with the maiden in a painting.
When the museum decides to ship the maiden and other works of art to Denmark, Roger panics and enlist two other guards, respectively in love with a small painting of a girl pouring milk to cats and a bronze athlete's statue, to steal their objects of desire.
What ensues is hilarious and I even laughed out loud more than once, because the thieves are elderly, not athletic and unexperienced and yet don't want to give up. Real fun and excellent interpretations by the whole cast.
Beauty is in the hands of the Beholders.
dunmore_ego10 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
A quaint little heist comedy, with a nifty romantic resolution, THE MAIDEN HEIST stars Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken and William H. Macy as security guards at a Boston art museum, so enamored with certain art pieces that when those pieces are sold to a European museum, they decide to steal the pieces for themselves and replace them with fakes.
Theft for love not money. There are layers to be discovered in THE MAIDEN HEIST that most people won't take the time to tease out. Director Peter Hewitt and writer Michael LeSieur ambitiously recruit three of the greatest actors in the world to convey the levels of irrational passion that beholders of art are victim to. These guys can convey more in a raised eyebrow than most people can convey with a GLENGARRY monologue and a John Woo helicopter explosion combined.
Still, it seems like the film is one long exercise in comedic opportunities gone missing.
The slogan says, "They're not bad guys. Just bad thieves." But they pull off the heist with a minimum of farty slapstick. So they're not really bad thieves, they're just marketed that way. The real story is buried beneath the heist and its attendant farcical passages.
It is amusing just watching Walken Being Walken, as Roger the neurotic security guard, who has been guarding a painting called The Lonely Maiden for so long, it has become his surrogate love over his real wife (Marcia Gay Harden, who creates a devilishly spot-on Florida-bound retiree). No prizes for guessing that Roger realizes his love was right there all along - but this reveal is where the movie shines in its own subtle way.
If you blink, you'll miss beige Breckin Meyer's two-minute cameo as a Starving Artist. Thankfully. Meanwhile, we can't AVOID William H. Macy going Full Monty - at every opportunity, he poses nude before his favorite sculpture, The Bronze Warrior. (For an older guy, Macy is pretty taut and he himself admits this may be the last time he will have the opportunity to go bareback and still look good.) Morgan Freeman's character is a little harder to pin down, as he moons over the painting Lady With Cats, ambiguously gay in all the subtle ways only a great actor can convey, without having to lisp ferociously.
Like I said, quaint.
--Review by Poffy The Cucumber (for Poffy's Movie Mania).
Theft for love not money. There are layers to be discovered in THE MAIDEN HEIST that most people won't take the time to tease out. Director Peter Hewitt and writer Michael LeSieur ambitiously recruit three of the greatest actors in the world to convey the levels of irrational passion that beholders of art are victim to. These guys can convey more in a raised eyebrow than most people can convey with a GLENGARRY monologue and a John Woo helicopter explosion combined.
Still, it seems like the film is one long exercise in comedic opportunities gone missing.
The slogan says, "They're not bad guys. Just bad thieves." But they pull off the heist with a minimum of farty slapstick. So they're not really bad thieves, they're just marketed that way. The real story is buried beneath the heist and its attendant farcical passages.
It is amusing just watching Walken Being Walken, as Roger the neurotic security guard, who has been guarding a painting called The Lonely Maiden for so long, it has become his surrogate love over his real wife (Marcia Gay Harden, who creates a devilishly spot-on Florida-bound retiree). No prizes for guessing that Roger realizes his love was right there all along - but this reveal is where the movie shines in its own subtle way.
If you blink, you'll miss beige Breckin Meyer's two-minute cameo as a Starving Artist. Thankfully. Meanwhile, we can't AVOID William H. Macy going Full Monty - at every opportunity, he poses nude before his favorite sculpture, The Bronze Warrior. (For an older guy, Macy is pretty taut and he himself admits this may be the last time he will have the opportunity to go bareback and still look good.) Morgan Freeman's character is a little harder to pin down, as he moons over the painting Lady With Cats, ambiguously gay in all the subtle ways only a great actor can convey, without having to lisp ferociously.
Like I said, quaint.
--Review by Poffy The Cucumber (for Poffy's Movie Mania).
Highly Entertaining
davyd-0223715 April 2021
Christopher Walken plays an ageing security guard at a museum and has an admiration for 1 painting, as does Morgan Freeman. In William H Macys case - his is a statue. When the museum plan to send all 3 items abroad - the 3 come together to remove the original items to their own possession. Wonderfully entertaining film, well worth watching. Would have scored higher save for the fact that in some scenes theres snow outside the airport and museum and 10 seconds later its gone!....Oops! Marcia Gay Harden is in there too as Walkens wife.
.
JoeBscully19 June 2014
It was a sweet family movie. It had lots of plot holes that young kids might not pick up on (and maybe a bit too much of William H. Macy's ass) but to be honest it was a forgettable movie that wasn't much of a comedy. The way it was advertised was completely deceiving. The DVD cover showed the 3 characters with guns. The movie had nearly no guns. It even showed the villains in the character Roger's imagination ( which lasted about 40 seconds.) I watched this movie expecting a high action cleverly thought out heist movie. The cover made the movie look darker and a thriller. Instead I got a movie full of nearly no jokes, awkward hugs and some guy getting naked for statues. NOT AN ACTION MOVIE
cool fun film
dexteruk7 February 2010
I really Enjoyed this film, and it was full of some suspense. Its a rather different film for sure. Other reviewers do not like how its unbelevable, but have they worked in such a place for any period of time, are they art lovers themselves? are they ever captivated by anything in life. I think this shows very well the obsessive nature of people. Anything can take a persons fancy, and become an obsession, a piece of sting, how mundane it is to some, could be someones obsession, and they could know all manner of things about it.
so in that respect this film touches on a good subject, has fun moments, and is not made to be a serious film, its a fun film, just i think people need to relax more and learn to just enjoy it.
so in that respect this film touches on a good subject, has fun moments, and is not made to be a serious film, its a fun film, just i think people need to relax more and learn to just enjoy it.
The security guards steal the art they love
Tweekums4 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Roger is a security guard who is obsessed by the painting 'The Lonely Maiden' to such an extent that he knows more about it than the museum guides and even fantasises about preventing armed robbers from stealing it. Then one day he learns that the museum has sold it and it is soon to be shipped to Denmark along with every other item in that particular gallery. Roger soon learns that he isn't the only security guard about to lose a beloved work of art; Charles is obsessed with another painting and George likes a nude sculpture so much that he likes to pose alongside it when he thinks he is alone at night! Together they hatch a plan to steal the three works; it won't be easy though; they will have to get three near perfect copies and find a way to switch them during the transfer.
This film might not be a classic but it is pretty funny; this is helped by having three genuine stars; Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman and William H. Macy; playing the three leads Roger, Charles and George respectively. They all perform well as does Marcia Gay Harden who plays Roger's wife. As one might expect it is far-fetched but that doesn't matter as is has plenty of laugh out loud moments not all involving a naked William H. Macy! When the robbery occurs it is moderately exciting although not as exciting as the imagined robbery attempt we see in the opening scene. There is little too offend here, so long as you don't mind seeing a man's bare backside; there was one rather muffled obscenity; certainly less than most films of a similar raring these days. Overall I'd recommend this is you want an entertaining family movie and don't expect too much depth.
This film might not be a classic but it is pretty funny; this is helped by having three genuine stars; Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman and William H. Macy; playing the three leads Roger, Charles and George respectively. They all perform well as does Marcia Gay Harden who plays Roger's wife. As one might expect it is far-fetched but that doesn't matter as is has plenty of laugh out loud moments not all involving a naked William H. Macy! When the robbery occurs it is moderately exciting although not as exciting as the imagined robbery attempt we see in the opening scene. There is little too offend here, so long as you don't mind seeing a man's bare backside; there was one rather muffled obscenity; certainly less than most films of a similar raring these days. Overall I'd recommend this is you want an entertaining family movie and don't expect too much depth.
JUST WASN'T FUNNY
nogodnomasters25 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
You would think with all these stars this would be a great movie. It wasn't. The film moved very slow. The main characters outside of Macy were dull. The idea was clever, but the dialogue was not what I would expect from a real comedy. I didn't have any laugh out loud moments for this "madcap comedy." Three security guards are each in love with one particular piece of art. The museum is going to move the pieces so they decide to make fakes and substitute them for the real pieces. What was supposed to be "madcap" I assume, were the errors they made in swapping the paintings. It too was slow. Freeman and Walker should not be doing this type of "comedy" as they plainly don't have a feel for it.
Just a silly museum heist movie, but good for the main characters.
TxMike2 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
It seems like they should have been in New York, but the Boston Museum is featured prominently. I watched it on Netflix streaming.
It is ultimately about 3 museum guards, each with a favorite work of art that they study and admire most of their shift. They get news that the collection is being sold and shipped to Denmark. What to do? Move to Denmark? Or maybe pull off a fantastic heist.
Christopher Walken is Roger Barlow and he adores the painting "The Lonely Maiden" , thus the title "The Maiden Heist." He is married to and has a great relationship with Marcia Gay Harden as Rose Barlow.
Fellow guard Morgan Freeman as Charles Peterson adores a different painting. While fellow guard William H. Macy as George McLendon adores a bronze statue of a nude male. In fact when Charles is viewing some graveyard shift security tapes he sees that George takes all his clothes off and poses alongside the statue. With that threat of exposure hanging over him he cooperates with the other two.
This is just light, funny entertainment, and there are lots of funny scenes. They are all good, but my favorite is Walken, who is a master comic even though he is more known for his tough guy roles. A very enjoyable movie.
SPOILERS: The plan they hatch is to have very high quality reproductions made of each piece, substitute them for the real ones overnight in storage after final packing, and keep the real ones for themselves. As expected it doesn't all go smoothly, which makes for many laughs, but in the end they are successful.
It is ultimately about 3 museum guards, each with a favorite work of art that they study and admire most of their shift. They get news that the collection is being sold and shipped to Denmark. What to do? Move to Denmark? Or maybe pull off a fantastic heist.
Christopher Walken is Roger Barlow and he adores the painting "The Lonely Maiden" , thus the title "The Maiden Heist." He is married to and has a great relationship with Marcia Gay Harden as Rose Barlow.
Fellow guard Morgan Freeman as Charles Peterson adores a different painting. While fellow guard William H. Macy as George McLendon adores a bronze statue of a nude male. In fact when Charles is viewing some graveyard shift security tapes he sees that George takes all his clothes off and poses alongside the statue. With that threat of exposure hanging over him he cooperates with the other two.
This is just light, funny entertainment, and there are lots of funny scenes. They are all good, but my favorite is Walken, who is a master comic even though he is more known for his tough guy roles. A very enjoyable movie.
SPOILERS: The plan they hatch is to have very high quality reproductions made of each piece, substitute them for the real ones overnight in storage after final packing, and keep the real ones for themselves. As expected it doesn't all go smoothly, which makes for many laughs, but in the end they are successful.
Strangely marketed but surprisingly decent.
Pjtaylor-96-13804430 August 2018
'The Heist (2013)' is a straight-to-video comedy caper strangely marketed, mainly through a terribly photoshopped front cover, as a gritty thriller, one that has two similar but distinct titles not clearly separated by territory and has had a limited international release spread across a number of years, to the point that it's actual release date is difficult to nail down. Despite all this, it also happens to be a relatively decent affair, one that passes the time with its pleasantly entertaining plot and pretty good central performances (William H. Macey stands out as the best). There are a bevy of strange choices, including plot points that don't really connect together all too well and some character motivations - and actions - that are downright bizarre, but there are a couple of chuckles here and there and the whole thing goes by pretty much without a hitch. It's really not bad for a bargain-bin flick that doesn't know when it was released, what it wants to be marketed as or even what it's called. 6/10
Marginal comedy
SnoopyStyle26 February 2014
Roger Barlow (Christopher Walken) day dreams as security guard in a museum. His big joy is to spend the day in front of the painting 'The Lonely Maiden'. Then he finds out that the new curator is selling many of the works including his Maiden. Other security guards Charles Peterson (Morgan Freeman) and George McLendon (William H. Macy) are in the same boat, and they come up with a scheme to steal their art pieces.
This is a marginal comedy. The three guys are great actors, but there aren't that many funny jokes. There's a couple of cute moments. And Macy gets naked. That was weird. It just needs an energetic improvisational comedian in the mix, and a funnier script.
This is a marginal comedy. The three guys are great actors, but there aren't that many funny jokes. There's a couple of cute moments. And Macy gets naked. That was weird. It just needs an energetic improvisational comedian in the mix, and a funnier script.
Unequal Nakedness
hepplerm18 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie shows way too much of William H. Macy's buttocks. I might have rated this movie higher if we could have gotten an equal amount of Marcia Gay Harden's buttocks. As naggy as she was I'll bet she's fine to see without clothes...like a naked maiden. Macy is always good, otherwise. Morgan Freeman's role was refreshing as a meek, sensitive artist rather than his typical avuncular guy. Christopher Walken is always good but I missed his straight up big hair that he sports on talk shows -- probably not appropriate for this role. Jeremy Lipking's painting, "The Lonely Maiden", grew on me. I'm not the most knowledgeable art apprecianado but it is a piece like this that opens up the mind. I hope it is on its way to terre classique.
The art lovers
jotix10010 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Has anyone ever wondered if those museum guards strolling about master paintings get a chance to appreciate the art all around them? Well, that seems to be the case for three security men at a Boston fine arts institution. Roger Barlow, has fallen in love with a painting titled "The Lonely Maiden". Roger fantasizes about the picture during his tour of duty. Charles Peterson, another guard has also a favorite picture, one in which a woman and cats appear. A third museum guard, George McLendon's admiration for a classic sculpture brings him to the room where it is exhibited, getting naked in the process, imitating the way the young man depicted in the piece.
Their enjoyment of being close to their beloved works of art come to an end as they learn the museum is selling its collection to a Danish institution to make room for a change in the direction the curators want to bring to the gallery. Roger, Charles and George bond together to see what they can do to keep the beloved works back in Boston. The only possible way to deal with the problem is to steal the works and exchange them for well made fakes no one will notice. Roger has a problem though, his wife, Rose, a beautician, has been saving for a trip to Florida and she is determined to have her vacation with Roger at the crucial time when the men will be involved in the heist.
One wonders how a film sporting three Oscar winners could go directly into DVD. The culprit appears to be a financial problem that made the production company send it to oblivion without a commercial release. The film directed by Peter Hewitt, and based on a screenplay by Michael LeSieur, certainly deserved a better end. This comedy main strength lays in its fabulous cast who evidently had a good time while it was under production. The plot is a bit far fetched, but it is fun to see how these three men can pull the caper and get to keep their beloved works of art.
Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy, and Marcia Gay Harden make a wonderful quartet of players in this, or any movie they decide to grace with their presence. They are all top rated performers who know what is expected of them and deliver it big time for director Hewitt. The film is light and funny, meriting a look by fans of the stars. William H. Macy gets to show a lot of himself as he disrobes to be naked in front of his favorite sculpture.
Their enjoyment of being close to their beloved works of art come to an end as they learn the museum is selling its collection to a Danish institution to make room for a change in the direction the curators want to bring to the gallery. Roger, Charles and George bond together to see what they can do to keep the beloved works back in Boston. The only possible way to deal with the problem is to steal the works and exchange them for well made fakes no one will notice. Roger has a problem though, his wife, Rose, a beautician, has been saving for a trip to Florida and she is determined to have her vacation with Roger at the crucial time when the men will be involved in the heist.
One wonders how a film sporting three Oscar winners could go directly into DVD. The culprit appears to be a financial problem that made the production company send it to oblivion without a commercial release. The film directed by Peter Hewitt, and based on a screenplay by Michael LeSieur, certainly deserved a better end. This comedy main strength lays in its fabulous cast who evidently had a good time while it was under production. The plot is a bit far fetched, but it is fun to see how these three men can pull the caper and get to keep their beloved works of art.
Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy, and Marcia Gay Harden make a wonderful quartet of players in this, or any movie they decide to grace with their presence. They are all top rated performers who know what is expected of them and deliver it big time for director Hewitt. The film is light and funny, meriting a look by fans of the stars. William H. Macy gets to show a lot of himself as he disrobes to be naked in front of his favorite sculpture.
An unusual comedy platter
Chris_Docker29 June 2009
Art shouldn't just be for highbrow types. A painting can have special meaning. Even for an ordinary blue-collar Joe. At least that's the message from director Pete Hewitt. This is knockabout comedy that might make Woody Allen fans affectionately recall Small Time Crooks, even though this film is very different to Allen's caper and wears its point on its sleeve. "Great art is not solely the domain of the connoisseur," says Hewitt. "Anyone can be emotionally transported by a few paint smudges on a canvas." Hewitt (Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, Thunderpants) has here come up with a grand robbery that is for love rather than money. Three misfit security guards at the museum embark on a dangerous journey to save the things they hold dear.
Decorated with a galaxy of stars, the Maiden Heist has been avidly awaited by fans worrying if it will see the light of day. In December 2008, the distribution arm of the Yari Film Group responsible filed for bankruptcy. Yari's Emily Lambert e-mailed the Globe saying, "I don't anticipate any screenings of The Maiden Heist in the near future," and producer Rob Paris went scrambling to find a new distributor. With a comparatively modest budget of $20 million, Paris feels he has got great value. "Our movie needed the scope the size of the Worcester Art Museum," he says. "It gave the film a look, a richness, that we otherwise wouldn't have gotten." The WAM is used to establish the interior of the fictional Boston Art Museum (BAM) in which our story takes place.
Scriptwriter Michael LeSieur had a top comedy actor in his previous hit (You, Me & Dupree) in the form of Owen Wilson. In The Maiden Heist, the chameleon-like talents of William H Macy first spring to mind as being suited to comedy, due to his Fargo fame, when he played the police story with subtle humour. Christopher Walken and Morgan Freeman are better known for their serious roles, but we should remember that Walken has also starred in comedy (Wedding Crashers, Hairspray), even if it is to play the straight man against the likes of Owen Wilson. Freeman has had brushes with his funny side in Bruce Almighty. Heading up the supporting cast is Marcia Gay Harden, who won an Oscar playing an artist (Lee Krasner) in the art biopic, Pollock. But it is probably fair to say that all these great stars are known primarily for their power to bring great depth to serious dramatic roles. There were moments in The Maiden Heist where I felt they were bumbling through the comedy rather than playing bumbling heisters. I found this a bit worrying as I have deep respect for their work. But maybe other viewers could find the apparent mismatch of seemingly inappropriate casting oddly rewarding.
The big star of The Maiden Heist though is of course the central painting. Roger (Christopher Walken) stares at 'The Lonely Maiden' for years. First as a way to pass time, but now as a way to address or replace what is lacking in his life. The painting has become his passion. His obsession. Supplanting the passion he once felt for his wife. This particular artwork in the film was especially created by painter Jeremy Lipking. "When I first met with the director he opened up the Gabriel Weisberg book Beyond Impressionism: the Naturalist Impulse, (which is probably the most worn out book on my shelf) and said, 'We need something like this.' A painting in the manner of Naturalist painters George Clausen, Emile Friant and Jules Bastien Lepage. I had to finish the painting in 7 days. It normally would have taken me a month or longer to do something this size. I got artist model Toni Czechorosky help me out with the period costume." Macy's character, on the other hand, is obsessed with a statue. Creating it involved photographing a naked Macy from a three-hundred and sixty degree perspective. (The photographs went to a sculptor in Los Angeles, who brought in another model and photographed him in the same fashion before creating a mould for the statue.)
The Maiden Heist quickly sold out at its opening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It's a light-hearted caper that makes for undemanding viewing. I don't see audiences flocking to galleries as a result, but who knows? While Roger might find his wife has been his lonely maiden all along, many viewers may more identify with the bit where he flits to Florida with the missis. Missing out on the art appreciation stuff seems a convenient bypass. If this is the case, the film is somewhat hypocritical in its claim about art and the general masses. It uses the notion to entertain without encouraging us to seriously engage. LeSieur, who wrote the script as a film school thesis project, may well be an art enthusiast. But the idea that ordinary people don't love art is a bit worrying to those of us that do. Shortly after I visited (during extensive bar-hopping) the beautiful Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, it was victimised by amateur thieves who posed as security guards. If you see me exit the Tate Modern with a naked William H Macy under my arm, please shoot me. Or take him back – he is a high-value asset of the acting profession and should not be high-jacked. "But it was a maiden heist, officer. . ."
Decorated with a galaxy of stars, the Maiden Heist has been avidly awaited by fans worrying if it will see the light of day. In December 2008, the distribution arm of the Yari Film Group responsible filed for bankruptcy. Yari's Emily Lambert e-mailed the Globe saying, "I don't anticipate any screenings of The Maiden Heist in the near future," and producer Rob Paris went scrambling to find a new distributor. With a comparatively modest budget of $20 million, Paris feels he has got great value. "Our movie needed the scope the size of the Worcester Art Museum," he says. "It gave the film a look, a richness, that we otherwise wouldn't have gotten." The WAM is used to establish the interior of the fictional Boston Art Museum (BAM) in which our story takes place.
Scriptwriter Michael LeSieur had a top comedy actor in his previous hit (You, Me & Dupree) in the form of Owen Wilson. In The Maiden Heist, the chameleon-like talents of William H Macy first spring to mind as being suited to comedy, due to his Fargo fame, when he played the police story with subtle humour. Christopher Walken and Morgan Freeman are better known for their serious roles, but we should remember that Walken has also starred in comedy (Wedding Crashers, Hairspray), even if it is to play the straight man against the likes of Owen Wilson. Freeman has had brushes with his funny side in Bruce Almighty. Heading up the supporting cast is Marcia Gay Harden, who won an Oscar playing an artist (Lee Krasner) in the art biopic, Pollock. But it is probably fair to say that all these great stars are known primarily for their power to bring great depth to serious dramatic roles. There were moments in The Maiden Heist where I felt they were bumbling through the comedy rather than playing bumbling heisters. I found this a bit worrying as I have deep respect for their work. But maybe other viewers could find the apparent mismatch of seemingly inappropriate casting oddly rewarding.
The big star of The Maiden Heist though is of course the central painting. Roger (Christopher Walken) stares at 'The Lonely Maiden' for years. First as a way to pass time, but now as a way to address or replace what is lacking in his life. The painting has become his passion. His obsession. Supplanting the passion he once felt for his wife. This particular artwork in the film was especially created by painter Jeremy Lipking. "When I first met with the director he opened up the Gabriel Weisberg book Beyond Impressionism: the Naturalist Impulse, (which is probably the most worn out book on my shelf) and said, 'We need something like this.' A painting in the manner of Naturalist painters George Clausen, Emile Friant and Jules Bastien Lepage. I had to finish the painting in 7 days. It normally would have taken me a month or longer to do something this size. I got artist model Toni Czechorosky help me out with the period costume." Macy's character, on the other hand, is obsessed with a statue. Creating it involved photographing a naked Macy from a three-hundred and sixty degree perspective. (The photographs went to a sculptor in Los Angeles, who brought in another model and photographed him in the same fashion before creating a mould for the statue.)
The Maiden Heist quickly sold out at its opening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It's a light-hearted caper that makes for undemanding viewing. I don't see audiences flocking to galleries as a result, but who knows? While Roger might find his wife has been his lonely maiden all along, many viewers may more identify with the bit where he flits to Florida with the missis. Missing out on the art appreciation stuff seems a convenient bypass. If this is the case, the film is somewhat hypocritical in its claim about art and the general masses. It uses the notion to entertain without encouraging us to seriously engage. LeSieur, who wrote the script as a film school thesis project, may well be an art enthusiast. But the idea that ordinary people don't love art is a bit worrying to those of us that do. Shortly after I visited (during extensive bar-hopping) the beautiful Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, it was victimised by amateur thieves who posed as security guards. If you see me exit the Tate Modern with a naked William H Macy under my arm, please shoot me. Or take him back – he is a high-value asset of the acting profession and should not be high-jacked. "But it was a maiden heist, officer. . ."
Good Saturday Afternoon Flick
bpwaite4 April 2017
One To Avoid At All Costs!
brdlybaum18 February 2016
I have given it 2 for the three main leads as in who they are not how well they acted! The acting was horrendous their overacting was very good! They must have been out of their minds to sign up to it and if they weren't then what the flip were they thinking?!?! More to the point what were any of the cast thinking including the extras?!?! OK, so the extras were probably thinking something along the lines of 'I could do with the extra money' but the rest of them?!?! This film is predictable, tedious, unfunny, predictable, boring....
THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT THIS DREADFUL STRAIGHT-TO-VIDEO RUBBISH! From the blatantly obvious beginning, to the blatantly obvious middle, from the blatantly obvious middle to the end of the film, IT WAS ALL BLATANTLY OBVIOUS!
THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT THIS DREADFUL STRAIGHT-TO-VIDEO RUBBISH! From the blatantly obvious beginning, to the blatantly obvious middle, from the blatantly obvious middle to the end of the film, IT WAS ALL BLATANTLY OBVIOUS!
Funny...
sedagive4215 May 2011
Of course it was no :Lion in Winter, but it was funny, lighthearted and had 4 good actors in it. If you are a fan of any of them you won't be disappointed. I was surfing and just happened to come across it. Cute and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. I am sorry some others have taken such a negative view. It does not pretend to be a serious drama, and I am sure Walken, Freeman, Harden and Macy had a great time making it. It plays to characters they have all played.....and there is no blood or gore. I did enjoy the 'getting ready" scenes they played really well..and so what if the background is not what you expected..it is still worth the time..
Adorable movie with all four leads playing against character
BobbyT249 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
All you need to know to watch this movie are the names of the four leads - Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, William H Macy, and Marcia Gay Harden. Oscar winners playing against type in a comedy/caper where you feel good throughout the entire movie. This story's light fun with three bumbling, lovable security guards/would-be thieves who may/may not pull off the heist of the century - if they can ever stay out of each other's way!
In this movie, Walken's a beaten down security guard nearing retirement with an overbearing but doting "battleship" of a wife in Marcia Gay Harden (wow, she is amazing in this role!!). Walken has been working the same job at a museum guarding the same wing for 30 years. In that wing is a painting, "The Lonely Maiden", in whom Walken has fallen in love. Not in a "Somewhere in Time" kinda time-travel piece, but just passionate about this lovely piece of impressionist art. She's the only reason he basically has left to live since his life has hit an endless loop of the same-ol'-same-ol'. Even his wife's incessant saving for a vacation trip to Florida isn't exciting for the poor guy. When he finds out the entire wing of the museum has been sold and is moving to Sweden, he doesn't know what to do. In his grief, he comes across two other long-time security guards (Freeman & Macy) who are head-over-heels in love with OTHER pieces in the gallery. In short order, they conceive an ill-conceived plan of stealing the original pieces and replacing them with fakes prior to leaving the country. What they realize, however, is each guard's unique "gifts" may do more damage than good once they start the heist.
This is not "Rififi" with it's professional thieves performing a well-choreographed, ultra-stealth heist to end all heists. This is as "fish out of water" as it gets. It's also what makes this such a special, satirical, light movie. These are kind, gentle souls who are having the loves of their life being ripped out from under them through no fault of their own. They just feel... well, robbed by the very museum they have protected for decades. They don't intend to hurt anyone. They just can't see past their obsession for the art. You cheer for these guys.
Let me say, without giving up the ending, that the ending made my wife fall in love with this movie. It's not a "chick flick" movie, but it is for those who aren't into explosions and foul language. It's light-fare with fun, silly characters played by master actors.
I rate this a 7 out of 10 because it really isn't a mainstream movie and can't compete on that level. But it deserved better than the straight-to-DVD path it ended on. It is worth watching for a night of light entertainment. A fun film. :-)
In this movie, Walken's a beaten down security guard nearing retirement with an overbearing but doting "battleship" of a wife in Marcia Gay Harden (wow, she is amazing in this role!!). Walken has been working the same job at a museum guarding the same wing for 30 years. In that wing is a painting, "The Lonely Maiden", in whom Walken has fallen in love. Not in a "Somewhere in Time" kinda time-travel piece, but just passionate about this lovely piece of impressionist art. She's the only reason he basically has left to live since his life has hit an endless loop of the same-ol'-same-ol'. Even his wife's incessant saving for a vacation trip to Florida isn't exciting for the poor guy. When he finds out the entire wing of the museum has been sold and is moving to Sweden, he doesn't know what to do. In his grief, he comes across two other long-time security guards (Freeman & Macy) who are head-over-heels in love with OTHER pieces in the gallery. In short order, they conceive an ill-conceived plan of stealing the original pieces and replacing them with fakes prior to leaving the country. What they realize, however, is each guard's unique "gifts" may do more damage than good once they start the heist.
This is not "Rififi" with it's professional thieves performing a well-choreographed, ultra-stealth heist to end all heists. This is as "fish out of water" as it gets. It's also what makes this such a special, satirical, light movie. These are kind, gentle souls who are having the loves of their life being ripped out from under them through no fault of their own. They just feel... well, robbed by the very museum they have protected for decades. They don't intend to hurt anyone. They just can't see past their obsession for the art. You cheer for these guys.
Let me say, without giving up the ending, that the ending made my wife fall in love with this movie. It's not a "chick flick" movie, but it is for those who aren't into explosions and foul language. It's light-fare with fun, silly characters played by master actors.
I rate this a 7 out of 10 because it really isn't a mainstream movie and can't compete on that level. But it deserved better than the straight-to-DVD path it ended on. It is worth watching for a night of light entertainment. A fun film. :-)
Well, it looked good from its cover
bowmanblue24 August 2014
Morgan Freeman. Christopher Walken. William H Macy. With three leads like that, how could the film possibly fail? It does. Sort of. 'The Heist' is about three security guards who work in a museum. When their favourite works of art are sold to an overseas gallery, they decide to steal them for themselves. The three leads are as good as you'd expect them to be. However, they're given very little to work with. You may see this advertised as a 'comedy,' but it really isn't that funny. It's sort of a drama, but not very dramatic. And don't be lulled into thinking there's any major action in it - if you've seen scenes of shoot-outs in the trailers then be warned: they're part of a sixty second dream sequence at the very start of the film.
Yes, this film is pretty 'easy going.' It's gentle and warm and there's nothing to shock, offend or distress. However, with the acting talent on display, you feel it could be so much more. There will be two sorts of people who watch this: one sort will enjoy it for its niceness, the other sort will hate it for being boring. One thing's for sure... if it sadly average.
http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
Yes, this film is pretty 'easy going.' It's gentle and warm and there's nothing to shock, offend or distress. However, with the acting talent on display, you feel it could be so much more. There will be two sorts of people who watch this: one sort will enjoy it for its niceness, the other sort will hate it for being boring. One thing's for sure... if it sadly average.
http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
