Method acting giants unite for this crime thriller!
Robert De Niro is an aging thief whose specialty is safe-cracking and who is on the verge of retiring to a life of ease, running his jazz club and romancing his girlfriend Angela Bassett. But before he can ride off into the sunset, he is pressured to do one last job by his mentor and business partner, a flamboyant and extravagant upscale fence Marlon Brando. Brando is plotting the heist of the Montreal Customs House, and he's got a man on the inside, Edward Norton, a talented but volatile crook who has managed to ingratiate himself with the facility's staff as a fellow employee suffering from cerebral palsy.
The old, "One more job, then I'll retire," routine. But that's where the routine ends. The trio of brilliant lead actors transcend the plot, and overcome the sometimes sluggish direction (courtesy of Frank Oz, who did Bowfinger and many other comedies -- and children's flicks, such as The Indian in the Cupboard). It's an absolute pleasure from start to finish, just to watch and study these men -- but then, they could probably be taking turns reading the phone book and make it seem fascinating. (Angela Bassett is excellent too, but she is unfortunately relegated to the one-dimensional, obligatory "girlfriend role" here.)
Directed by Frank Oz.
Stars: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando
