What can I say a movie with three of my favorite actors, Alec Baldwin, Andre Braugher and Micheal Jai White! This movie was a pleasant surprise. I woke up one night and the TV was still on and just started watching this movie and man I couldn't believe how funny it was! It was well written and moved very well. Besides the main characters in the movies the supporting cast was incredible too. Khandi Alexander, Rebbeca De Mornay, Bruce Geenwood and others! If you get a chance rent the movie from netflix or you local video store, do a search for it on cable and set a reminder for it! Whatever it takes watch this movie! Has a great jazz sound track too. If you like crime movies, where you like the characters even though they are criminals then you will really enjoy this gem of a movie!

"Thick as Thieves" is a terrific, fast-paced film with exceptional (and very funny) dialogue. As some of the other reviewers have stated, Michael Jai White is exceptional, but the same can be said about Baldwin and the rest of the cast. How many perfectly putrid or at best mediocre films were released and heavily promoted in 1999 while this little gem was swept under the rug? Watch and listen carefully. You'll be glad that you did.

********** SPOILER ALERT *********** Thick as Thieves is an extraordinary Character driven Crime Noir, which raises the standards of the crime film. There are double crosses and snappy lines throughout making for a rousing good time. Alec Baldwin plays Macklin, A Professional Thiefs Thief. A man who approaches each job with skill, expertise & Honor. Macklin's a rare man with a passion for good Jazz, and a deep abiding love for his dog Wally(a Jack Russell Terrier), who's grown old with Macklin and whos on this last legs(Macklin must reconcile with the fact that Wally's in pain & will have to be put to sleep to spare him of this). It's quite a moral dilemma for Macklin(and one which I have faced myself), a dog which you have raised for all of it's life, becomes such a part of your life that when faced with putting him to sleep, becomes extraordinarily painful. This is a great underlying theme in the film: Macklin's Love for his dog, Macklin's love for jazz is evidenced by a shot of his jazz collection which cover nearly an entire hall oh his apartment (the collection shown is Alec Baldwin's own Personal Collection). The movie begins innocently enough when Macklin is contacted by Rials(veteran character actor Ray Miano)Chief Underboss of the Sal Capetti Chicago Organization, To do a job in Detroit, for Pointy Williams(Micheal Jai White), The rip-off is $250,000 in food stamps. Macklin does the job, turnkeys the stamps and is double crossed when, Pointy sets him up with 2 crooked cops. Macklin is forced to kill the 2 cops, to get out alive, thus setting in motion a series of revenge attacks on Pointy Williamses operations. Pointy is backed up by Dink Reeves(played by awesome actor Andre Braugher). Dink lets Pointy know that ripping off the thief was bad for business(the Chicago mob now wants no part of the Food stamps), and that they must send a gesture or remorse to the Chicago Mob($10,000). The escalating war between Macklin & Pointy turns up the heat & sets Detroit on fire and results in the death of wally the dog when 2 of Pointy's men raid Macklins hotel room. The anguish and pain of Wally's death is shown forcefully in Macklin's face, and what was business has now become very, very Personal. A shoot-out at Pointy Williamses Resturant results in Rials ordering a sit-down on neutral territory(both men can bring 1 man along with no guns). At the sitdown, Macklin & his backup(Rodney(a rather curious coincidence, yes??)), and Dink Reeves all come to there with respect, but Pointy Williams arrives disrespecting the sitdown & Rials. Rials repeatedly states to all concerned that he's here to: "Make it right". He then castigates both men for being UnProfessional: Macklin for not immediately Killing Williams & Pointy for trying to set up Macklin in the first place, which precipitated the whole situation.The Mafia tradition of reasoning it out shown here in a direct & premeditated manner. After a few smart-aleck remarks by Pointy concerning how the Italians are the only ones who have got it together, Rials has Williams executed, by a single round to the back of the head. Dink Reeves is allowed to live because he came in respect, unlike Pointy. Macklin is shocked by the whole thing, and left somewhat unfulfilled(he wanted to kill Pointy himself). Rials and Macklin talk for a few minutes in which Rials apologizes for Wally's death. The final scene in the movie Macklin's back at home, he comes in to find a new puppy(A Pug) and a note from Dink Reeves: "Hope you like the dog", thus really giving Macklin a sense of closure. A really nice jazz cut plays thru this scene thus closing out a really good picture.This movie is unpretentious with excellent production values, tight scripting, good acting & emotions. The group of actors assembled for this movie is great. I highly recommend this as an example of what a good crime film should be: It should be fun to watch, with characters you can identify with and in a sense believe in, and dialog that is snappy & sharp. Definitely a *****STAR film. The movie is based on the Book with the same title by Patrick Quinn which is also a very good read, check it out & ENJOY!!!!

A crime lord decides to double-cross a professional thief that the higher-ups in his organization hired for a food stamp heist. Naturally, the professional thief evades the trap, but then decides to get even. As things escalate the cops become more and more interested. So do the chiefs of the organization, who realize that all this unwanted attention is bad for business, and finally find themselves having to arbitrate the situation.This is a well made crime movie. The movie starts with a humorous scene featuring a cameo by Janeane Garofalo where she and Alec Baldwin deadpan some lies to each other. This scene doesn't lead to anywhere, but is very hip.The movie goes pretty fast through its story with plenty of smart, breezy dialogue. As always, Alec Baldwin is good, but is outshown by Michael Jai White and Andre Braugher, who play the crime lord and his top lieutenant respectively. White plays a not so bright but vicious crime lord with upwardly mobile aspirations. Braugher hits just the right notes of dismayed resignation as he contemplates his boss' follies. Rebecca DeMornay also has a great character to play - a hard-boiled police detective who has seen it all but remains a half-step behind the action. There are lots of well-crafted minor characters as well. The sound track also deserves a special note (no pun intended).It you've seen all the Tarantino and Tarantino-esque movies, and are looking for more, this movie would fit the bill.