Every Heist Movie Reference in Poker Face’s “One Last Job” Explained

In this week’s episode titled “One Last Job” on Peacock’s show “Poker Face,” the character Kendall Hines, a hopeful screenwriter played by Sam Richardson, attempts to outwit Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) with his knowledge of cinematic twists. However, Charlie doesn’t buy it and instead calls him out on it.

If you’re a fan of thrilling heist stories, Kendall’s script and the subsequent concealment of the crime he assists in orchestrating will be rich with clever nods and some deliberate tributes skillfully handled by executive producer and director Adam Arkin.

As a fan who couldn’t tear their eyes away from the captivating dynamic between Charlie and Bill Jackson (Corey Hawkins) in “One Last Job,” I must confess that I might have missed a few of the films subtly woven into the plot. But don’t worry, if you found your heart fluttering just as much, NBC Insider has got you covered! Check it out below.

All of the heist film references in Poker Face, Season 2, Episode 7: “One Last Job”

Inside Man (2006), Directed by Spike Lee

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At the start of the episode, Bill and Kendall engage in a conversation about Bill’s recent script titled “One Last Job”. During their discussion, Bill expresses his enthusiasm for the script, stating it brings to mind the intense atmosphere of heist movies like “Heat”, “Ocean’s 11”, and “Inside Man”. Later on in the episode, when we take a look at Kendall’s apartment, you’ll notice an “Inside Man” poster hanging above his armchair.

Ocean’s 11 (2001), Directed by Steven Soderbergh

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The 2001 remake of Lewis Milestone’s “Ocean’s 11,” directed by Steven Soderbergh, is a sleek and sensual update to the original film. This remake is exceptional, even surpassing the quality of the original version. It seems that Kendall shares this opinion, as he has a movie poster for it in his media room.

Mission Impossible 3 (2006), Directed by J.J. Abrams

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In the episode featuring Kendall’s initial encounter with Charlie, there’s a recurring humor centered around Kendall’s eagerness to discuss his favorite Mission: Impossible movie, specifically wanting to know her opinion on the best one. It’s evident she doesn’t share his enthusiasm for the series, but she values his advice on finding a suitable gift for Bill. So, she humorously asks, “Mission: Impossible…?”, and he agrees.

Towards the end of the program, there’s a revisit of the discussion about the Mission Impossible series, with a police officer expressing his opinion that Mission Impossible 3 is the top-notch film in the sequence.

Die Hard (1996), Directed by John McTiernan

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On a delightful romantic evening at the large department store where Bill works, he and Charlie engage in casual conversation filled with humor reminiscent of a rom-com. In their easygoing chat, Bill mentions Kendall, his friend who has an exceptional talent for film discussions, but can be somewhat persistent about it. He brings up their ongoing argument about what counts as a Christmas movie, explaining that Kendall excludes Die Hard from the list because it doesn’t show Santa Claus in the film.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), Directed by Quentin Tarantino

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In the episode, there’s a hidden connection as the burglar named Juice, who ends Bill’s life, is impaled with a samurai sword by Kendall – this is reminiscent of The Bride’s preferred weapon in the Kill Bill movies. Notably, we observed a blend of California Mountain Snake-like violence and humor as Juice wobbles around the store, bearing the sword wound.

Heat (1995), Directed by Michael Mann

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Many people, including Kendall, consider Michael Mann’s Heat as the ultimate heist movie. This iconic film, which starred Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer, is showcased not just once but three different times in the episode: it’s displayed on a bar TV, when Kendall plays it for Juice; it also appears on the screen when they discuss it; and it concludes the episode by being shown on the box store TVs.

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2025-06-05 18:02