I'm afraid that this movie may suffer from unfair comparisons to the Ocean's films or other such films in the heist genre where the idea of realism is completely suspended.
This film is not that - instead, it's a semi-realistic look at three low wage overworked and under appreciated bank employees along with their friend who is a struggling music producer. Each has problems in their personal/professional life to overcome - be it having a pregnant wife and having to live with a brother in law, to having to take care of younger siblings, owing money to loan sharks or repeatedly being passed over for promotions.
They come into contact with a smooth talking, seemingly genuine yet ruthless criminal played by the underrated and supremely talented Courtney B. Vance - a man who has seemingly convinced himself and who persuades others (including the audience) that his criminal activity is justified. We see the planning of the crime.
It will make the participants multimillionaires but also put them on the run, forcing them to leave town and their families.
While I am not Black and can't know that experience, I could certainly relate to the message of economic inequality presented with the juxtaposition of the worker's struggles compared to the man born into wealth and privilege who bought his wife a BMW as a status symbol. I've also personally experienced something similar to the friend who found an error that saved his employer a tremendous amount of money, only to be awarded with a cheap gift card.
There were parts of this film that truly delivered, yet other areas where it didn't live up to the high bar it set. The ending, for such a great set up, felt a little rushed. I'd give it a 6.5 if I could, but since I can't it deserves rounding up.
As I've said - it's not an Ocean's flick where everything just magically works and the "thieves" get away. But it's an entertaining, heist based morality play which gets you thinking.
This film is not that - instead, it's a semi-realistic look at three low wage overworked and under appreciated bank employees along with their friend who is a struggling music producer. Each has problems in their personal/professional life to overcome - be it having a pregnant wife and having to live with a brother in law, to having to take care of younger siblings, owing money to loan sharks or repeatedly being passed over for promotions.
They come into contact with a smooth talking, seemingly genuine yet ruthless criminal played by the underrated and supremely talented Courtney B. Vance - a man who has seemingly convinced himself and who persuades others (including the audience) that his criminal activity is justified. We see the planning of the crime.
It will make the participants multimillionaires but also put them on the run, forcing them to leave town and their families.
While I am not Black and can't know that experience, I could certainly relate to the message of economic inequality presented with the juxtaposition of the worker's struggles compared to the man born into wealth and privilege who bought his wife a BMW as a status symbol. I've also personally experienced something similar to the friend who found an error that saved his employer a tremendous amount of money, only to be awarded with a cheap gift card.
There were parts of this film that truly delivered, yet other areas where it didn't live up to the high bar it set. The ending, for such a great set up, felt a little rushed. I'd give it a 6.5 if I could, but since I can't it deserves rounding up.
As I've said - it's not an Ocean's flick where everything just magically works and the "thieves" get away. But it's an entertaining, heist based morality play which gets you thinking.