Heist

I love the way people talk in David Mamet movies—the way characters repeat sentences and words, as if they are intentionally acting poorly at times. It’s so weird and just so perfect—the sort of thing that only he can pull off. Gene Hackman plays a career criminal heading out for one final score to stake his retirement with his spouse (Rebecca Pidgeon … I love this actress). Twists and turns aplenty keep the viewer involved, and the performances from Hackman, Pidgeon, Delroy Lindo and Sam Rockwell are all first-rate, while Danny DeVito does some of his best work in years as a complete bastard. Writer-director Mamet has made two great films in two years (last year’s State and Main is a treasure).