MASTERMINDS REVIEWED
“Masterminds” shows that America is still finding the dark humor in true crime cases. Partially based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery, the film tries to take the Hess clean comedic styles and apply it to a field that the Coen Brothers and Bay have mined. The end product is a film that wants to slam you with bad enough characters that can’t ever pull the trigger. The worst guy in the movie is Owen Wilson and he’s only a slight douche. So, what does that mean?
The elements of great storytelling require some sort of conflict. All of the women in the lead character’s life don’t have that major of a problem with him. More than anything, they’re willing to forgive whatever he does to make their lives work. All the while, he shifts around like a Southern Peer Gynt trying to make sense of his new life. Jason Sudeikis shows up for what might as well be an extended cameo, but he helps to frame a lot of the film. Does that make it a quality movie? No. However, it’s a far better Fall movie than what I expected.
FILM STATS
- PG-13
- 1 hr and 35 mins
- Relativity Media
