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Thief

Thief

1981
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 3m
Becoming closer to his dream of leading a normal life, a professional safecracker agrees to do a job for the mafia, who have other plans for him. (imdb)
Your probable score
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Thief

1981
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 3m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 66.1% from 1153 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1153)
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Rated 16 Aug 2015
85
94th
If one were to disregard the spanking cool score by Tangerine Dream and the delicious photography in this almost criminally stylish directorial debut (for the big screen at least) from Michael Mann, it'd merely be a good, solid thriller. But why - why in the world? - would one disregard these awesome things?
Rated 06 Feb 2019
80
84th
A very impressive feature debut from Mann, hinting at elements of his style that we'd see in his later work. It feels very accomplished, bolstered by a strong cast and tidy script. Caan was on great form here, as was Prosky (playing against type, somewhat). The Tangerine Dream score really worked for me as well (they don't always). I'd like to have seen more done with Nelson's character, and perhaps some elements are predictable, but this is well worth watching. Loved that safe-cracking scene...
Rated 08 Jun 2019
85
90th
Can't believe I never heard of this until now! It's a real treat, you can't take your eyes off Caan and there are some really creative shots (thinking threatening upside down Prosky amongst others). Super colourful. Thumping soundtrack by the always on fire Tangerine Dream. The finale is a little pat though and don't expect any interesting female characters, it's Michael MANN after all.
Rated 10 Oct 2020
70
76th
Just one last score to end it all. Good music, nice atmosphere, everyone done right except for the typical invincible gunslinger ending. Fav scene: the film taking its time with the diner scene with James Caan and Tuesday Weld.
Rated 30 Dec 2014
95
96th
Some echoes of Jean ValJean shit at play here. I love this Michael Mann, all style with the substance to back it up, this sizzle comes with steak baby. It's a real shame today's Mann wont stop trying to make everything look real, what's the point? Right now I'm on my soap box at a high FPS distracting you all and looking all wrong and stupid. PS Belulu gets fuccccked up in this movie.
Rated 19 May 2020
8
78th
Overstays its welcome but still a damn good film. When I think of my favourite directors, I think of those with a unique voice and signature style. What I love most about Mann's films is his use of long lenses, and the way it marries the setting of a scene to the character and story so beautifully and effortlessly, until it becomes its own indelible character. Could've shaved off some bits and the music is misplaced at times but it does a lot of things good that it's easy to forgive.
Rated 03 Sep 2022
100
97th
When I first saw this movie I thought it was just a Blaxploitation film with white people: The super cool soundtrack. A protagonist caught between cops & robbers. The lead's love of expensive cars, jewelry, and wardrobe. But on revisits I've noticed how this laid the groundwork for Michael Mann's future films. Especially as he uses almost docudrama technical presentation to show a loner hero aiming for a goal that only he fully understands. A classic. And James Caan is amazing.
Rated 07 Jul 2012
85
92nd
Sure, the ending is quite predictable, but everything else was simply great. The balance between character drama and thief-y shenanigans was just right. Great dialogue, atmospheric music from Tangerine (though sometimes a tad too cheesy) and a killer lead in the form of Ice Cold Caan.
Rated 11 Nov 2012
74
48th
This movie had some good sections, but it could have done with more safecracking and less drama of the female variety. It had a decent last section, and the ending felt pretty righteous.
Rated 03 Aug 2013
83
72nd
I didn't love the film as a whole, though I did like it, but I loved a lot of parts. From the opening heist, to the various interactions that take aim at the money is strength mentality so prevalent at the time, to that slightly off but very satisfying finale, there were a lot of wonderful moments. Wish it had come together better for me, but maybe it just wasn't the right day to watch it.
Rated 21 Jul 2014
85
75th
Tight, slimy, black as untainted coffee. The soundtrack is perfect and so is Caan. Prosky's 'nice guy/grandfather' mobster has a wonderful about-face where he drops his facade. It could all feel old hat, aging criminal trying to bag enough cash to get out of the game and such, but it's handled with such panache that it never feels tired.
Rated 03 Jul 2015
46
43rd
To me this feels like Mann hadn't quite found his particular voice yet (to the extent he has one), and as such shifts rather awkwardly between attempts at an almost '70s New Hollywood style character study (which frankly he handles clumsily at best) and the sleek surfaces and completely abstracted characterization that would come to define Mann's mature style (which he excels at but hadn't quite fully developed here). So basically stuck somewhere between Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Drive.
Rated 24 Jun 2017
85
82nd
You don't just enter the mainstream with a debut so smooth, so competently constructed, and with such an uncomplicated story. It's good to see a boisterous, self-identified "complex" character get his bitching shut down by his boss, it's actually quite relieving. And if we saw him be more emotional, this film wouldn't have been half as good as it already is. What I find funny about the director's cut is that's an extra friend for a whole extra minute
Rated 21 Apr 2020
85
85th
This is how I found out that Willie Nelson is not only is an actor, but has appear in films/TV over the past 40 years.
Rated 20 Mar 2007
70
82nd
Rewatched recently and still a great film. Highly recommend.
Rated 22 Mar 2007
100
95th
Electric, original character study disguised as a thriller. James Caan is absolutely great
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
91st
The book is better, but it's still Michael Mann's best movie. Excellent Tangerine Dream soundtrack.
Rated 12 Jan 2010
95
97th
Heat gets the most attention, but I feel like Thief is Michael Mann's masterpiece. James Caan is brilliant in this tale of a safecracker trying to go straight after one more job. Excellent soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, and Jim Belushi turns in a solid supporting role (as he did in Oliver Stone's Salvador).
Rated 20 Nov 2010
82
91st
For a Mann enthusiast such as myself this is a fascinating film. All his later trademarks are created here in his first feature film, and I think it's fun to spot the parallels to his other films and the evolution within his filmography. For others, it should still be great fun, though. For James Caan is ultra cool, the heist scenes are down-to-earth-straight-forward-cool, sheer professionalism, totally anti-Ocean's-style, and there's a fascinatingly evil antagonist. Also, what a great ending.
Rated 01 Oct 2011
4
70th
Tangerine Dream.
Rated 13 Aug 2012
79
67th
Expertly crafted. The cinematography is impressive, and the music is great. Caan's diner monologue about prison, the detailed heists, and the ending are all stand out scenes.
Rated 18 Jun 2013
2
22nd
Nothing here is particularly bad. Yet nothing transcends the typical "one last job" genre. I'd recommend it most for Michael Mann completists who can see their guy starting to hone his craft.
Rated 30 Jun 2013
55
53rd
James Caan delivers a great performance, and a lot of the presentation and direction is really impressive. But I felt like it tried to be cool more frequently than it succeeded, and the plot seemed cliched and straightforward. At any rate, it entertains and it seems to be pretty quality work. Maybe the infallible lone criminal badass storylines just aren't for me.
Rated 05 Mar 2014
80
75th
A fantastic heist film with a heaping helping of style.
Rated 17 Jun 2014
86
88th
Mann's first feature arrives perfectly confident and with many of his future preoccupations already well-formed: career criminals (and the law enforcement that pursue them), rain-slicked/neon-drenched urban environments, and rigorous technical precision. This one tells a compelling story as well, with minimal bloat and a superb performance by James Caan. Tuesday Weld's character is underwritten, but there's really not much else to complain about. A damn good thriller.
Rated 02 Aug 2014
73
78th
Mann's debut immediately distinguished him as a unique director, and the film is a little ahead of its time for 1981, but while it's technically impressive and well acted--particularly by Caan and Prosky--it falls short of greatness because the script is full of cliches and there isn't enough character development to justify its running time. But as a stylish snapshot of a career criminal searching for a sense of normalcy that will forever elude him, it is rather effective, if not tragic.
Rated 07 Feb 2016
74
84th
All elements combine well in this genre movie about the bitter, nihilistic pleasure of finally embracing the abandoning of all care. Even the slightly melodramatic dramatic scenes are pretty successful, with a memorably affecting cameo by Willie Nelson. The climactic scene seemed a little less stylish and a little more clunky, just in the way the homicides were filmed, but this was concealed somewhat by the eighties guitar. Overall it looked and sounded great, especially the Arrow Video release.
Rated 15 Nov 2016
3
45th
A familiar heist film blueprint, but its rain-and-neon glisten boasts the mechanical precision which is Mann's hallmark. As the tale of a lonely soul, I feel it is somewhat underwhelming.
Rated 20 Apr 2018
77
64th
Falls just short of greatness the moment a shirtless James Caan runs along the beach in a regrettable lapse into '80s cheese.
Rated 06 May 2018
85
66th
Feast for the eyes and the ears. Tangerine Dream is just perfect for this movie.
Rated 24 Jan 2019
77
71st
What a wonderfully shot film, right from the beginning
Rated 19 Jun 2019
75
2nd
Story: 5 Atmosphere: 8 Action: 5 A movie about a badass who doesn't give a damn who like to steal others stuff due to his ability not to cope with his mistakes. Also, he like to drag others to hell with him. Story is meh, action meh. The only sentimental value of this movie that its considered by some the ancestor of the "Neo-noir" genre.
Rated 14 Oct 2019
86
97th
Great movie, despite the creepy vibes Willie Nelson gives off during the prison visit scene.
Rated 17 Nov 2019
83
96th
Confident and meticulous. Much more a blueprint for Heat than I expected (with a dash of The Long Goodbye). You gotta love Michael Mann.
Rated 29 Jan 2020
85
51st
It really annoys me how Caan snaps his gun around
Rated 07 Mar 2020
82
84th
James Caan is excellent here in the tittle role. The script is good, it build to an interesting climax. The supporting cast are also good in this movie. Overall I would recommend this film.
Rated 08 Apr 2020
90
87th
Goddamn, this is a MOVIE. Caan is completely, effortlessly captivating. The cinematography--the palette of industrial greys and blues and blacks, flecked with neon--is gorgeous. The centerpiece safecracking scene is a kind of religious ceremony of cinema: angle after worshiping-angle of sparks flying and metal melting. Loved every minute.
Rated 28 May 2020
75
59th
Tight nihilistic version of a familiar revenge plot. James Caan destroys the world.
Rated 07 Jul 2021
80
81st
Why does Michael Mann ever bother with films not set in the big city at nighttime? Some real Le Samourai type shit here.
Rated 16 Nov 2021
75
61st
Another piece of evidence that proves the 70s lasted into the early 80s. Emotionally gritty with the moody visual sheen that Michael Mann would turn into his trademark.
Rated 18 Apr 2022
75
35th
The real heist is the American dream we discarded along the way. What makes this movie for me is the ending. The protagonist's decision to burn everything to the ground is interesting. As he keeps saying throughout the film, he is the last person you want to fuck with. But that very edge to him makes him unsuitable for living a normal life.
Rated 08 Jul 2022
95
96th
An absolute classic. James Caan in mean performance. Tangerine Dream soundtrack. Cool Michael Mann shots and atmosphere throughout. Robert Prosky as the conniving antagonist. Fantastic 80s thriller. Maybe Mann's best.
Rated 12 Jul 2022
90
95th
Just so clean, slick, melancholic for all the beautiful scenes it provides -- the dining one might be my favorite, Frank telling Jess his past life as a convict, explaining his dreams he envisioned in that simple collage, his old pal and father figure still in prison (Willie Nelson), and she would complete that as his wife and the mother of their sons. But crime life isn't one you escape easily, without firing a few shots and perhaps losing everything you've worked so hard to get.
Rated 13 Oct 2008
65
51st
Early Michael Mann flick gets extra points for the way cool Tangerine Dream score
Rated 07 Jul 2009
85
78th
This is so much more than just a thriller. Great emotional highs and lows, backed up by perfect music from Tangerine Dream. Fascinating tradecraft with an oddly likable main character whose passion we can totally get, even if we don't agree with him. And some killer monologues to boot!
Rated 10 Nov 2009
5
44th
I just couldn't get past the horrible score. Not only was the music terrible but it was so overbearing. It just screamed 'hey look, you are watching an 80s movie!' Most of these points are because of James Caan and his badassness and much love to Belushi's hair, looks like Javier Bardem took note of your hair for No Country. Not terrible, just unremarkable.
Rated 26 Nov 2009
100
99th
Mann's best film and Caan's too. Everything you need to know about PEOPLE is in this film.
Rated 25 Aug 2010
51
7th
Everything in this film, from the acting to the editing to the score to the writing and so forth, is okay. But the culminate result is soooo god-damn booooorrrrrrrring.
Rated 05 Oct 2011
80
84th
Excellent 80s character study/crime film.
Rated 26 Oct 2011
82
71st
82.125
Rated 03 Nov 2011
90
80th
Pretty awesome, especially if you go for 80's aesthetic the way I do. Things were so much better when I wasn't alive. We don't get Tangerine Dream soundtracks, James Caan and slow-motion murders/explosions the way 1981 did.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
77
62nd
james caan is really amazing in the role of a man that constantly struggles to be something that he's not. mann at his finest.
Rated 18 Apr 2012
82
80th
Mann has it, even from the beginning. His ultra-cool atmosphere, paired with a badass soundtrack from Tangerine Dream makes Thief a prelude to the masterpieces to come. Caan is electric as he turns in one of his best performances. If the Ocean films were halfway realistic you'd have something similar to Thief.
Rated 19 Apr 2012
95
97th
Right from the start, as the Tangerine Dream soundtrack serenades the heavy rain falling across a dark, abandoned Los Angeles alley, I know I'm home. As neon lights gorgeously reflect upon anything they can from puddles to car hoods, Caan enacts his contrasting brutality towards anyone and everything. The carnage is always raw and entrancing, and despite his hardened, abrasive way of existence, one can't help but identify with him as a paragon of free will.
Rated 09 May 2012
70
79th
Ok so it is super eighties, and the score will rub people who weren't really a part of the decade the wrong way. This is still an excellent thriller. Caan is great and Mann does some of his best work.
Rated 18 May 2012
80
75th
Michael Mann's beautiful, oneiric direction and synth-heavy score elevate this above the level of a cookie-cutter crime/mob flick. Neither the plot nor dialog contain anything spectacular, but Mann just excels at city photography. The beach scene also shows the beginnings of his music video style that would make Miami Vice such a huge hit. Although Caan and Weld can't seem to sell the film's emotional content, Mann still keeps the viewer in suspense all the way through.
Rated 29 Jun 2012
81
74th
I'm a sucker for neon.
Rated 15 Jul 2012
80
68th
Better than I was expecting. Great physicality and verisimilitude in the heist scenes, and Mann's direction is punchy and energetic (didn't feel like 2 hours). The plot is kinda clichéd and the denouement seems weird because nothing too horrible had happened to Caan's character. It's not a huge problem, but it does rob the film of some tension and stakes. Either way, it works, and I'm not sure why this isn't some revered classic, it seems to fit the mold and the style.
Rated 13 Aug 2012
60
46th
oh dear. This was really 80s. I mean it was so 80s it was distracting. His hair. That music! I'm a Millennial philistine. Great lines, but you know.
Rated 26 Aug 2012
80
86th
The finale be dope yo
Rated 19 Sep 2012
93
86th
This movie set a new precedent for brutal language in film, the big money shot robbery scenes are meticulous and tense in their presentation of real time, and the life of a criminal is shown much more as a treacherous punishment than any sort of luxury. The dialogue is superb, and scenes of nothing but that can go on forever without getting stale. The soundtrack is powerful and state of the art. Great acting and great cast of characters, and sharp cinematography and editing.
Rated 15 Feb 2013
84
79th
83.500
Rated 16 Mar 2013
71
23rd
Different aspects of this film have their different times to shine throughout. The writing in the diner, Caan has many great moments - as well as Prosky starts to turn on the heat, the juicy (am I using this adjective just because it's Tangerine Dream? Fuck it) 80s score that I'm totally a sucker for. The cinematography, though, is mind-blowingly good for the entire runtime. It stands out as Thorin's first gig; the gleeful wild abandon of expression, but grounded so well for this story.
Rated 31 Mar 2013
100
97th
Rififi's grandson,set in a later era where the technology has drastically changed and yet, like in Jules Dassin's film, the underworld is full of sharks with no discrepancies for attacking men who, for their crimes, only desire good lives by the end of it. I also wish the 80s, neon-soaked, Tangerine Dream scored Michael Mann still existed, able to take such aspects and make very cinematic films with them.
Rated 12 Jun 2013
73
79th
The plot outline is derivative - it's a crime drama about a tough-as-nails lone-wolf with a sensitive side, and it's furnished with the usual romance, shady dealings, a heist, betrayal, final showdown. What makes Thief a really good movie are Caan and Prosky's forceful performances and the brilliantly written dialogue. Once there's silence, the quality goes down, such as in the final act - which is tense, but with no text to flesh it out, the hackneyed story's bones stick out.
Rated 01 Jul 2013
90
93rd
A Swiss watch of a movie with a fierce-but-still-empathetic lead performance by James Caan. This film's got a great aesthetic and takes its time with the details; the kickin' 80s soundtrack only occasionally interferes with the on-screen action.
Rated 17 Dec 2013
91
89th
Michael Mann é outra coisa! E esse filme prova que ele não aprendeu, sempre soube.
Rated 14 Mar 2014
87
95th
Great film with a really good performance by Caan. Hard to believe this was nominated for Worst Soundtrack by the Razzies - I loved it!
Rated 28 Jul 2014
100
95th
watched: 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023
Rated 12 Aug 2014
75
30th
There is no earthly reason why Tuesday Weld would decide to spend the rest of her life with this guy. It would've made much more sense if she'd been with him since long before the movie started. That way, when he behaves like a thug in public and finds bugs in their phones, it would be poignant that she stays despite her doubts.
Rated 17 Dec 2014
100
96th
This is probably my favorite of his movies. Perhaps Caan's most exceptional performance.
Rated 20 Jan 2015
84
81st
Michael Mann doesn't fuck around. This is pretty close to objective filmmaking. All the dialogue is shot straight with the cast forcing their characters through when possible.
Rated 10 Feb 2015
36
46th
Quite nice visually. Seems to me to be the work of a great craftsman, rather than a great artist. Tangerine Dream helps.
Rated 04 Jul 2015
8
76th
Thief was Michael Mann's big break and it remains as some of his finest work in my opinion. This is one of my favourite crime dramas of the 80's and an unforgettable James Caan gives one of his best and coolest performances. Michael Mann shows early signs of his trademark craft that has since made him the filmmaker he is today. The cinematography, editing, writing and the Tangerine Dream soundtrack are all worthy mentions. Thief is a great experience that oozes style and 80's vibrance.
Rated 19 Sep 2015
73
47th
I didn't quite finish it but I liked the first half. Synthwave soundtrack.
Rated 09 Oct 2015
83
82nd
The opening crane shot coming down the alley let me know i was at least in for a good spectacle visually.Mann doesnt disappoint for style.story is all caan all the time & he really brought his character fully to life.Theres plenty of play by their own rules characters but caan makes Frank exceptionally believable.Mann has this great ability to make guns in his movies feel like the extremely dangerous weapons they are. Loved the guts on the van. Tangerine dream seals the deal on gritty 80s mood
Rated 07 Dec 2015
84
56th
This movie has cool written all over it.
Rated 11 Jan 2016
8
72nd
Some really nice shots, amazing use of colour, cheesy as fuck synth soundtrack and James Caan. Great 80s thriller.
Rated 14 May 2016
9
91st
I just don't know how this movie escaped my radar all these years
Rated 25 Jul 2016
8
71st
Mann's freshman picture sparkles thanks to his peculiar eye for photography and a classic score from beloved group Tangerine Dream. The story itself isn't rife with twists and turns, but it's expertly executed and heightened by commendable style.
Rated 01 Feb 2017
80
89th
Very cool and melancholic, great protagonist.
Rated 24 Mar 2018
91
70th
A blue movie. Very beatiful blue movie.
Rated 25 Apr 2018
86
90th
One of the most assured debuts ever, this sees Mann emerge with his visual and musical stylings fully formed. It is both an interesting character study and a badass hardcore crime picture. Mann would return to similar territory later on but for my money he never bettered what he did here. Caan is remarkable, reminding you of just how good he could be and how wasted he has been later on.
Rated 01 May 2018
36
7th
Ok, I really didn't get this movie. For me Caan is overpowering and unbelievable as the professional safe cracker who is trying to get out of the game. The rest just crumbled around that performance and I struggled to watch it all the way through. I'm still baffled at the generally positive acclaim Thief gets. I'm not sure what I'm missing.
Rated 04 Sep 2018
64
43rd
Probably will be better after a second viewing
Rated 03 May 2020
84
82nd
Bir yönetmenin ilk filmini izlediğimde işler romantik bir hale bürünüyor ve yönetmenlerin sadece ilk filmlerinden oluşan güzel bir seçki hazırlamak istiyorum. Michael Mann'in sinemaya girişi niteliği taşıyan Thief de James Caan'ın performansıyla birlikte böylesi güzel filmlerden.
Rated 28 May 2021
65
58th
Özellikle kasa delme sahnelerine bayılsam da önemli bir tempo sıkıntısı yaşıyor. Senaryo da biraz daha twist kullanılarak etkileyici hale getirilebilirdi.
Rated 12 Feb 2023
54
60th
The quintessential 80s crime thriller? I'm being tongue in cheek, but it is a compelling blend of 70s rogue antiheroism, a confused protagonist trying to gel with societal norms, some cool heist scenes, and 80s awkwardness. The score does not fit most of the time, the tough guy tendencies are sometimes laughable, but they weren't exactly cliches yet in 1981, and the crooked cop subplot is mishandled. Thief is fine overall, I see its influence on Heat and many others, but it has been surpassed.
Rated 02 Apr 2023
72
58th
Chink kid? This film didn't know if it was supposed to be 70's or 80's.
Rated 09 Apr 2023
85
81st
Surprisingly romantic movie. Good stuff.
Rated 29 Apr 2023
40
19th
I've watched many films with a heist theme, but none of them had as loud robbers as in this movie. While normally one has to make a special effort to avoid making noise, this film is full of thieves who run around trying to make as much noise as possible. Michael Mann should have watched the heist scene in Rififi before making this film.
Rated 20 Jun 2023
100
96th
Mann's thematic concerns seem fully formed. Caan is his typical protagonist. An extremely competent professional who longs for human contact, but cannot accept it on anyone else's terms.
Rated 29 Jul 2023
80
78th
Enjoyable character study of a guy who wants to quit the syndicate (which never goes well). My two favorite scenes were the tensest safecracking since Rafifi, and the judge making a deal. I can't say I loved the whole movie, but all the component parts -- music, photography, the whole style, even the somewhat familiar storyline -- were so good it deserves a better-than-average score.
Rated 01 Aug 2023
81
66th
Stylistically pretty great--that opening heist is masterfully shot. Music is top notch as well. The story struggles in places--felt some of the timing was off in the dialogue between Caan and Weld, while the ending doesn't really make sense (why make her go away for good when you're going to deal with the problem?). Also great to see Mann's prototypical "city at night" shots throughout.
Rated 29 Feb 2024
70
48th
Masterpiece! Reason why I don't give it a higher rating is because I'm not a fan of the cynical mafia world view. In all honesty, it's a movie about psychopaths and it's able to lull you into accepting the moral code that exists in that world. This is what every movie of this kind is doing.

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