Today’s Prayer Focus

Heist

MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for language and some violence.
Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Action Crime Thriller Drama
Length: 1 hr. 49 min.
Year of Release: 2001
USA Release: November 9, 2001
Relevant Issues
Gene Hackman and Rebecca Pidgeon in “Heist”
Featuring Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Patti Lupone
Director David Mamet
Producer Art Linson, Elie Samaha, Andrew Stevens
Distributor
Here’s what we’ve heard about this film…

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: (from the producer) HEIST, written and directed by David Mamet (directed STATE AND MAIN, wrote HANNIBAL and WAG THE DOG), is a film noir crime mystery about two old friends (Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito) who dream up a plan to pull off the perfect robbery.

Movie Critics
…64 F-words… 10 religious exclamations…
Kids-in-Mind
…adultery and criminal behavior are glorified…
Preview Family Movie and TV Review

Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Negative—My 20 year old grandson wanted to see this one (based on previews or advertising blurbs). So I (75 years of age) joined he and my son(48 year old). We all agreed that (forgetting moral implications) it just wasn’t a very good picture and wasn’t worth going to see. It seems that yelling, shouting, screaming and bad language were deemed replacements for acting skills. Too bad. We like Hackman.
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 1½]
Bill Carroll, age 75
Neutral—The movie has some nice elements: Stable plot, nice acting, and some clever lines. But some of these lines don’t exactly make sense, though. Example: Everybody needs money. “that’s why they call it money!” What? That sounds clever, but is it? I like Gene Hackman. I like Danny DeVito. I like Delroy Lindo. I like Ricky Jay. I like Rebecca Pigeon. And I love David Mamet. But his last few films (Meaning “Heist and “State and Main”) have been just a little flat. What happened to the man who wrote “Glengarry Glen Ross”, “Oleanna”, and “American Beffalo” These are on a totally different level. A level I don’t like as much, and a level inferior to the level on which those three films exist.
My Ratings: [Average / 3]
Jason Eaken, age 18
Negative—One of Hackman’s worst performances. He was the reason I went to the movie in the first place. He seemed phony. don’t waste your money. Definite renter.
My Ratings: [Average / 3]
Dee, age 47
Negative—We all, for once, were in agreement… a poor choice for a holiday movie experience with the family (2 parents, and 2 children ages 26 and 23). An extremely dark movie, with an unlikely plot, a string of implausible situations, and an unbelievable ending. Granted, our dissatisfaction could be attributed to the “new” stadium 90 degree angled seats, but primarily it was the outrageous story line. We’re all Gene Hackman fans, but he should have rejected this script! don’t waste your money on this one.
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 2]
Barbara Jones, age 53
Neutral—My opinion is that Hollywood would like us to choose the lesser of two evils. Gene Hackman plays an “honest” clever thief, whom we almost feel compelled to side with since his boss, Danny DeVito is an untrustworthy pay for “services” rendered type character. Just remember—when you choose a lesser of two evils—you still end up with evil! I don’t know why Hollywood would think that we might be entertained by watching low life characters…
My Ratings: [Average / 3]
Dennis Atnip, age 47