Greetings from Lithuania."Thief" (1981) is a great movie. Amazingly directed by one of my all time favorite Michael Mann, this is a kinda simple story, yet amazingly told. This has to be one of the two best performances ever by James Caan ("The Godfather" comes in a first place). First feature film of Michael Mann, the ones whose movies i always liked to say the least.All in all, "Thief" is a pure movie gem. Great soundtrack, simple yet very involving story, great script and amazing work by Michael Mann - this is a one superb movie.

Many gangsters movies have tried to look cool, but end up as wannabees. "Thief" is the real thing. Or as close to it as I have seen it. The screenplay was actually written by an ex-thief and the tools used in the heist were real and were provided for by ex-thiefs who were used as "technical advisors" on this movie.Director Michael Mann's debut has everything in it that a cool heist movie needs. It is probably for that reason that this classic is on Quentin Tarantino's list of favorite gangster movies. Starring James Caan as a guy you really really dont wanna mess with, playing a specialist in cracking high end security safes. After a big heist James Caan gets cut out by a crimeboss of his deserved share of the loot and responds by threatening him that he has got 24 hours to deliver his share or "he will wear his ass as a hat"."Thief", is a gangster classic, wherein men are real men. And James Caan is as cool as it gets. But Caan's character is still a human with needs and imperfections. A part of the movie is dedicated to his wish to settle down with a wife and kids and get out of the heist business. I think the time given to learn to know Caan's character is essential. It is done with broad strokes and in short conversations with his wife and friend. But those words are very powerful and I must restrain myself to not literally copy and paste them into this review. The dialogues in this movie are really to die for. Caan co produced this movie and I truly think it is one of his best roles ever. Great supporting role of James Belushi too. "The hell with me, the hell with you, with everything" is James Caan's motto. No attachments. Walk away in a second and burn everything behind you. This cold gangsters view of life is also a recurring theme in another classic of Michael Mann called "Heat", starring Robert de Niro and Al Pacino. You GOTTA see that movie if you are into heist movies!"Thief" features a mesmerizing soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. Music has always played a lead part in ALL of Michael Mann's movies. This soundtrack really is gorgeous and creates a constant mood of alienation. It can become too dominant sometimes, but often the music really enhances the suspense."Thief" is a slowburner. Tension is built up slowly. The climax only comes at the very end. Don't expect big shootouts or action movie heists with "Mission Impossible" break in schemes. Everything is done like a real professional heist man would do it: low key. However James Caan's character is nothing close to low key. The man is a volcano waiting to errupt. And explode he will...

1981's Thief was a very pleasant surprise for me. I heard many good things going into the movie, and now I realize why this movie is one of the 1980's most underrated gems. This is a hardboiled crime classic that marks the directorial debut of veteran TV director Michael Mann who would produce future classics such as Heat and The Insider. The movie was also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, who would later be known for producing blockbusters. This movie also features one of the best career performances from James Caan, whom reeks with charisma. Frank (James Caan) is a man who makes a living cracking safes and stealing diamonds. After spending eleven years in prison, Frank wants a normal life for himself. He wants a wife, children, and a life not spent in the criminal world. In order to make the money to live his comfortable life he wants, he takes one last score from a well-known gangster, Leo (Robert Prosky). However, the score does not go well and Frank may have put himself in a corner that he may not be able to get out of. This film is incredibly well-acted. James Caan actually made his point that this movie is the best movie he has ever done and after seeing it myself, I can concur. Caan plays the tough guy very well, but he wears his heart on his sleeve. Just watch the scene where he delivers an emotional monologue to his romantic interest, Jessie (played wonderfully by Tuesday Weld). He speaks about his career and how he is a criminal for life, and it certainly hit all the beats. Robert Prosky makes out well with his performance as the sad-faced Leo. I can't believe I am saying this, but Willie Nelson does a great job as the master thief who acts as a father figure towards Frank. I actually wanted more of his character in the movie. This film also marks the debuts of notable actors such as William Petersen and Dennis Farina, so keep an eye out for them! In short, all of the performances are incredible with each actor playing a believable, plausible character. Michael Mann's direction warrants the need to be talked about. Mann is known to be meticulous when it comes to detail, and this film is no exception. Every shot, every location, and every item is used for a reason. Mann also lent authenticity to the film when he hired real-life thieves to be used as advisors. That is called dedication, folks! Mann's trademark also includes the cinematography, which was used very well by Donald E. Thorin. The use of shadowing to highlight danger as well as filming at night added tension to the film. I also need to talk about the synth score by Tangerine Dream. I am still shocked how it was nominated for a Razzie for worst music. The score was used effectively in the film and it really brought some pumped-up energy to the proceedings. Maybe people thought that the music was too far ahead of its time? That is exactly what Thief is! A movie that is way too far ahead of its time. This is a movie that is not about car chases or insane action scenes. It is a movie about plausible characters and situations. It is about the choices you make in order to live the way you want. James Caan delivers a tremendous performance that may as well rank as his career best. This is a crime thriller that needs to be seen!My Grade: A-

The 1980's seemed to define what is to be expected of a crime movie. It was an era of machine guns, tooth-picks and body oil, with little attention paid to the all-important details. Michael Mann's Thief was an ultra-slick, ice cool and, most astonishingly, highly realistic alternative, which is very impressive given that this was Mann's feature debut. The film revolves around James Caan's safe- cracker Frank, a career criminal looking for one big score before retiring. We meet him mid-job, using a specially-designed drill to steal the diamonds locked within. We are given little background to his character, but, like the rest of the film, the history is embedded within every frame.Mann, wanting the film to be as close to real-life as possible, employs real cops and criminals as actors, reversing their roles to further blur the line between the 'good' and 'bad' guys. John Santucci, a recently paroled jewel thief, plays a corrupt cop, and Dennis Farina, in his first movie role, was a real-life ex-cop and here plays a criminal henchman. The idea that the cops and robbers are merely two sides of the same coin was explored further in Mann's 1995 masterpiece Heat. With Thief, it feels like we are thrust into this very real but secret world of crime, where Frank, who works alone when possible or employs his entrusted friend Barry (James Belushi) when necessary, agrees to work for shady crime boss Leo (Robert Prosky, who, along with Belushi and Farina, makes his film debut).With so much time spent with Frank (he appears in every scene), a lot rests upon Caan's shoulders, and he thankfully delivers what is undoubtedly his greatest performance. He's the typical tough-guy loner, but he brings so much to his character that we see much more in him than a mere brute. In the diner scene, where he seduces cashier Jessie (Tuesday Weld) and lays out his plans to start a family, Caan's marvellous monologue further layers his character. But Thief is also an exciting thriller. Thanks to the plausibility of it's characters, it's easy to become concerned when a spanner is inevitably thrown into Frank's plans. If there's a criticism to be had, then it's in the formulaic plot. But when a film seems to know it's characters so well and is filmed so stylishly by cinematographer Donald E. Thorin, it's hard to avoid becoming completely immersed.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com