(https://i.imgur.com/laapGrT.png)
Studio: Mubi
Release Date: 6/30/2026
Rating: R
Film Grade: C
The Story: Set in 1970, chronically unemployed layabout James spends a lot of time at the local art museum, sometimes with his family, sometimes alone. He’s not there for personal enrichment; he’s carefully casing the joint with his eye on four specific abstract paintings. To that end, he’s recruited three other men to help with the plan. But as sometimes happens, things don’t go exactly as expected.
My Take: There are slow burn movies and then there are sloooooooow movies. The Mastermind falls under the latter. The title is perfectly sarcastic in that low-key James is not cut out for this kind of task. And, while he has meticulously planned out the heist, he couldn’t prepare for everything.
Writer/director, Kelly Reichardt (Wendy and Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff), has put together a film that’s clearly centered on the character aspects of James, with the stolen art caper being almost incidental. The problem is that if you’re going to focus a character study, the subject needs to be interesting. But James comes across simply as a sad sack. Directionless, he spends his time dreaming up this plan to steal some paintings, rather than take a more practical approach of simply getting a job to help support his family, instead of relying on his wife. This creates multiple problems for him and those around him as things start to fall apart.
The movie takes its sweet time weaving through the story. The heist itself is pulled off rather quickly and we spend the rest of our time with James as he deals with the resulting actions. Thus, we see an extended sequences of James doing things like making a clandestine visit to a nearby farm. Typical directors would have shown this in under a minute or two, but Reichardt extends the sequence for more than seven tedious minutes; nearly the same amount of time spent on the actual heist itself. While that pacing is certainly unusual, it’s ultimately unsatisfying. It doesn’t advance the plot and doesn’t shed light on his character.
With a movie focused more on character than plot, one might expect some real development, but that’s also lacking. James doesn’t seem to grow much during the course of the movie at all. At best, he degrades. Josh O'Connor (The Crown, Challengers) gives James a small amount of charm as he interacts and mooches off of others, but it’s not long before it wears off for both those surrounding him and the audience. The extensive supporting cast is solid enough, but none of them get enough screen time to add much to the story; they’re simply there for the James character to play off of.
Visuals: While shot digitally, the movie is extremely soft, often appearing outright hazy. Colors are muted and dull, contributing to the bleak feel of the movie. This is not eye candy but does evoke the style of the 1970s.
Audio: The disc’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix stands out primarily for the score by jazz musician Rob Mazurek (founder of the Chicago Underground Collective). The style feels highly improvised and occasionally chaotic, again fitting with the film’s tone. Trombones, drums, cymbals, bass, piano, and vibraphone are front and prominent; it’s in your face (or ears) through many parts of the movie. It was too heavy and overwhelming for my wife, but it didn’t bother me and I found the approach interesting. A few pop tunes are used in scenes, as well.
Special Features: While the essay offers some ideas that come across as a stretch, it does reveal that Reichardt intended the movie to be less of a heist film and more about a man and his plans slowly unwinding. It does accomplish that. The extra also points out some influences and comparisons with earlier films that were shot during the time period of this film.
- “The Mastermind: Unwinding the Heist Film” a Video Essay
Final Verdict: Like Reichardt’s earlier film, Meek’s Cutoff, the story starts with plenty of promise and intriguing possibilities but ultimately leaves things unresolved. If you enjoyed that entry, this will give you much to appreciate, and Reichardt accomplishes what she set out to do. While the trailer shows moments of natural humor, they’re almost absent for the last two acts of the film. Instead, it focuses on the hapless James, who elicits little sympathy or interest; he could have avoided his fate by just finding a job, like everyone else.
It’s a recommended watch for anyone looking for something atypical, with extra points for jazz lovers. But those looking for a good heist film will likely be disappointed. My wife and I both enjoyed parts of it but didn’t find the ending to be as rewarding as we would have liked, matching our feelings for the earlier Meek’s Cutoff.
A Father’s Chiding Guidance: “Well, you seem to have a good amount of time on your hands.”
https://youtu.be/AWokrf6yeEU
This review was written by a human without the use of AI.
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup