The Mastermind, 2025.
Directed by Kelly Reichardt.
Starring Josh O’Connor, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, and Bill Camp.
SYNOPSIS:
An unemployed carpenter turned amateur art thief plans his first big heist, and when things go haywire, his life unravels.
Kelly Reichardt is a hard director to pin down; she has built a reputation on eclectic, distinct arthouse films, working with a pool of talented actors like Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and a recurring collaboration with Michelle Williams. Films like Night Moves and First Cow defy expectations for traditional thrillers and westerns, and her latest film, The Mastermind, ostensibly an art heist film, is a far cry from Ocean’s Eleven or The Thomas Crown Affair.
Josh O’Connor’s James Blaine Mooney has a close-knit family, the son of a judge and happily married to Alana Haim’s Terri. In his spare time, he has built a small gang, enlisting them to help steal art memorabilia, both small and large in scale. Terri is oblivious to his double life. So far, this may sound like a more standard art heist film; however, it quickly becomes apparent that this is Kelly Reichardt upending our expectations. Blaine is certainly no Danny Ocean, not thinking far enough ahead to stay out of trouble with the law or jeopardise his family.
Audiences will come for one thing and get something altogether more rewarding. With its 70s setting, Reichardt has wonderfully re-created the New Hollywood era with grainy visuals, spot-on outfits and a gorgeous jazz score from Rob Mazurek, remarkably making his first film score. It is certainly a natural pairing, Reichardt remarking she is a huge admirer of his work.
O’Connor, as he was in La Chimera, is utterly hypnotic; in so many of the film’s frames, it is a work that would fall apart on lesser shoulders. He quietly commands the screen as he plans how to stay one step ahead after a botched heist. James is forced to move from one acquaintance to another for help, becoming increasingly paranoid. Reichardt cleverly juxtaposes this with the Vietnam War and civil unrest. The ending is certainly one for the ages and will help shift perceptions on the film.
It may lack thrills in the more traditional sense, but something is alluring about The Mastermind and Reichardt’s eye for detail is a joy to behold. Josh O’Connor is a natural addition to her roster of collaborators, and hopefully, this isn’t the last film in this particular pairing. She cleverly upends where we expect this sort of story to go and adds another impressive film to her filmography. It is a loving throwback to the paranoid thrillers of the 70s but distinctly a Reichardt film.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
