It’s typical of Kelly Reichardt to create a ’70s film that seems like it was forgotten from the ’70s, with its gritty visual style, subdued colors, leisurely character development, and slow tempo. The movie also invests heavily in a downtrodden protagonist who meticulously plots a heist, only for things to quickly unravel. Josh O’Connor’s rugged charm makes him a perfect match for the lead role in “The Mastermind“, a low-key heist drama that devotes as much time (if not more) to the post-crime fallout, transforming seamlessly into another of Reichardt’s profound examinations of hard-luck Americans.
The movie takes place in Massachusetts during the year 1970, around two decades prior to the famous art theft at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, whose frames still hold the empty spots where stolen works by artists such as Vermeer, Rembrandt, Manet, and Degas once resided. It appears typical of Reichardt that James Blaine Mooney (O’Connor) is not pursuing valuable Old Masters or anything similar. Instead, he chooses to steal four paintings by American modernist Arthur Dove, a significant but less popular abstract artist during that time.
In this film, Reichardt is credited as the sole writer for the first time, yet it carries reminiscences of scripts co-written with her regular collaborator, Jonathan Raymond. The narrative reflects the intricate preparations akin to those eco-activists in Night Moves, who strategically destroy a hydroelectric dam. Furthermore, it maintains the delicate humor that made the compact art world perspective in Showing Up so enthralling.
The initial scene unfolds with J.B., who is our protagonist, strolling through various rooms within an imaginary museum situated in Framingham. This museum is symbolically represented by the exterior, which is the I.M. Pei-designed Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, adorned with a striking Henry Moore bronze sculpture. Notably, this structure was prominently featured in the movie “Columbus” directed by Kogonada.
Meanwhile, one of a set of twins chats endlessly about science-fiction concepts, while his yawning mother and his more reserved sibling seem to ignore him.
It isn’t until J.B. opens a display cabinet to steal a small artifact and makes a run for the exit that it becomes evident that the woman is his wife, Terri (played by Alana Haim), and the kids are his sons, Carl and Tommy (portrayed by Sterling and Jasper Thompson). At first glance, Terri seems to be an accomplice while the boys appear to serve as decoys. This scenario recalls stories of families involved in petty crime, such as those depicted in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s renowned film, “Shoplifters.” However, this comparison turns out to be a clever misdirection.
When it comes to the bigger operation of transferring the Dove paintings, Terri appears to want minimal information about the details. James assembles a group comprising three individuals – Guy (Eli Gelb, renowned from the Broadway hit Stereophonics), Larry (Cole Doman), and Ronnie Gibson (Javion Allen) – and guarantees them that the operation will not exceed eight minutes. James informs them that he can’t be present during the operation due to museum staff recognizing him too well following his increased fame.
However, when Larry steps down from driving duties, J.B. takes over, but their mission doesn’t unfold smoothly due to Ronnie. He ends up brandishing a gun at an art student and clashing with a security guard at the exit. Later on, after Ronnie stirs up more chaos, J.B. learns the hard way from a more experienced crook (Matthew Maher): “Always avoid working with drug addicts, dealers, or unpredictable individuals.
After news of the bold daylight art heist becomes public knowledge, J.B.’s father, Bill (Bill Camp), a local judge, finds himself contemplating thoughts that could have been beneficial earlier: “It’s hard to believe that these abstract paintings would be valuable enough for such trouble.” Known for his exceptional performances as one of today’s top character actors, Camp portrays Judge Mooney with an air of superiority as he ponders the underground art market before acknowledging, “These are areas I’m not familiar with.
Bill’s criticism towards James, who was unemployed and had carpentry skills, starting a business like his schoolmate, appeared to influence Bill to resort to an unscrupulous way of making money. Despite this, James’ mother, Sarah (played brilliantly by Hope Davis), shows more understanding towards him, but when he asks for a large loan on top of the debt he already owes her, she demands a fixed repayment plan.
Bill got into trouble because he felt bad about James not using his carpentry skills to start a business like their schoolmate did. This made Bill decide to make money in an illegal way. James’ mother, Sarah, is more forgiving towards him, but when he asks for more money on top of what he already owes her, she insists on a payment plan.
Although Reichardt usually avoids humor, the stale dialogues between parents can surprisingly be quite humorous, and so do J.B.’s less-than-ideal parenting moments with the kids.
The period-appropriate set and costume design (credited to Anthony Gasparro and Amy Roth respectively) effortlessly captures the essence of the time, always avoiding overly noticeable gimmicks that might detract from the story. However, certain ’70s elements inevitably elicit laughter, like the troublesome crank-handle rear window that causes Guy problems as he hastily loads paintings into a stolen station wagon, or the outdated L’eggs Pantyhose marketing trick, where J.B. provides the crew with egg-shaped plastic packaging for them to wear as masks.
Reichardt discovers an infectious fascination in some ordinary crime aspects, like James utilizing his carpentry skills to construct a custom-made storage box for the paintings. This box later becomes a source of physical humor when he climbs a ladder to conceal it in a hayloft amidst a pig’s background noises, snorting and rooting around for food while completely ignoring J.B.
In a role reminiscent of an American relative to the hapless grave robber from “La Chimera“, O’Connor skillfully intertwines humorous scenes with a gradual escalation of sorrow and remorse. As J.B.’s desperate plan for wealth eludes him, he expresses his regret, saying gloomily, “I didn’t fully consider the consequences.
Haim, the artist who made a significant impact in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film “Licorice Pizza” as an actor, doesn’t have much dialogue as Terri, but her eyes convey the struggle within her character – a fight between patience and deciding to leave to shield herself and the boys from James’ chaos. Both Haim and James seem genuinely sorry when James loses Terri as a supporter.
The way Haim conducts his performances aligns perfectly with Reichardt’s philosophy of ‘less is more,’ evident in the careful selection of actors for every role, even the minor ones, who seem to fit seamlessly into the given era.
In this captivating interlude, I find myself on the run, even as my face graces the headlines. O’Connor skillfully weaves a melancholic tune as I deceive myself into believing I’m safe, hiding out at the farm of my old friend Fred, played by frequent collaborator John Magaro, and his wife Maude, portrayed by Gaby Hoffmann. Maude harbors suspicions that Fred is aiding James, heightening my unease and prompting an early exit.
The movie’s narrative unfolds against a backdrop of real-life events such as anti-Vietnam protests, student unrest on campuses, tough police action, and occasional appearances of Richard Nixon’s sly smile. Although Reichardt doesn’t make this aspect overly prominent, it’s hard not to notice the similarities between these scenes and today’s political climate.
During James’ attempt to fly to Canada, he encountered an obstacle at one of those public demonstrations. The last image of him, confined to a small corner of the screen, was heart-wrenching.
As a devoted admirer, I’ve always appreciated Christopher Blauvelt, a long-standing collaborator with DP (Director of Photography) Reed Morano, whose work graced films like “Meek’s Cutoff,” “Night Moves,” “Certain Women,” “First Cow,” and “Showing Up.” Time and again, Blauvelt proves an exceptional choice for Morano’s style of naturalistic minimalism. His keen eye never allows the vibrant autumn foliage to veer into overt prettiness.
Just like she did with “Night Moves,” Reichardt has crafted a film that falls under a specific genre but strips away conventional elements to emphasize character development, exploring human flaws, and portraying the authenticity of how someone from a comfortable middle-class background can succumb to hardship and seek questionable resolutions.
Reichardt’s approach differs significantly in one key aspect: he skillfully incorporates a score by jazz artist Rob Mazurek. The relaxed yet edgy beats from percussion, bass, brass, and drums give off an atmosphere reminiscent of a laid-back beatnik bar band wrapping up after a lengthy performance. This music seamlessly enhances the subtly paced film that thrives on understatement.
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2025-05-23 20:55