The Mastermind
Nominated for the Palme d’Or in Cannes.
In a sedate corner of Massachusetts, circa 1970, a self-absorbed, unemployed carpenter by the name of James B. Mooney plans his first big art heist. CHALLENGERS and LA CHIMERA star Josh O’Connor is impeccable as the world’s worst art thief.
Set against the backdrop of anti-war protests, Kelly Reichardt’s latest is another entry into her gentle and poetic filmography on American life in the margins. The beloved American chronicler spins her own variation on the heist movie, away from Soderbergh, Mann and Tarantino, moving it into her own territory of quiet minimalism. Less about the robbery itself and more about the emotional fallout and disillusionment, THE MASTERMIND may not be about a true mastermind, but is unquestionably directed by one.
Widely regarded as one of America’s greatest chroniclers, particularly of those living on the fringes, Reichardt has been dubbed “the patron saint of American outcasts” by film magazine Humbug. Her films are often quiet, contemplative portraits of lives lived on the margins. She doesn’t favour action or intricate plotting, but finds beauty in the flaws of everyday people.
THE MASTERMIND steers well clear of genre staples like OCEAN’S ELEVEN or RESERVOIR DOGS, aligning more closely with the austere style of Robert Bresson and Jean-Pierre Melville than with Tarantino’s violent flair, though it’s laced with a surprising amount of deadpan humor.
