Thieves Like Us
Bank robbers on the run have rarely been portrayed with such plainness as in Thieves Like Us. Where Nicholas Ray’s They Live by Night shaped the story into a moody romance, Robert Altman sticks much closer to the novel—and sometimes a little too closely. The result is faithful but floundering, with a two-hour runtime that stretches like tarmac on an endless back road.
Still, there are rewards. Shelley Duvall gives the film its quiet heart, all awkward charm and nervous glances, while Keith Carradine brings a fragile humanity to the outlaw role. Their tentative relationship feels lived-in, grounding the story when the pacing starts to sag. Altman’s overlapping dialogue and period detail add texture, but the narrative never quite tightens its grip.
It’s an earnest adaptation with flashes of beauty, but also one that proves accuracy alone isn’t enough to keep the getaway car moving at speed.
Still, there are rewards. Shelley Duvall gives the film its quiet heart, all awkward charm and nervous glances, while Keith Carradine brings a fragile humanity to the outlaw role. Their tentative relationship feels lived-in, grounding the story when the pacing starts to sag. Altman’s overlapping dialogue and period detail add texture, but the narrative never quite tightens its grip.
It’s an earnest adaptation with flashes of beauty, but also one that proves accuracy alone isn’t enough to keep the getaway car moving at speed.
Mini Review: Altman’s Thieves Like Us sticks closer to Edward Anderson’s novel than Nicholas Ray’s romantic They Live by Night, but fidelity comes at a cost. At two hours, the film often drags, its plainness stretching thin. Yet there are rewards: Shelley Duvall brings awkward warmth, Keith Carradine a fragile humanity, and their bond grounds the story. Altman’s overlapping dialogue and period detail add texture, though the narrative never quite grips.
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