The Mastermind

Kelly Reichardt leaves the lush greys of the Pacific Northwest for the drab greys of Framingham, Massachusetts (though I think this film is shot in Ohio). Set during the transitional year of 1970, the ironically named The Mastermind follows a small-time art theif who manages to pull off a heist with a couple of other less-than-professional thieves but he didn't plan for much beyond sneeking out of the building with a couple of paintings, and soon finds himself running from the law and the mob. While this may sound like a typical Massachusetts crime indie, it's much more of a typical Kelly Reichardt film, with the "action" and tension playing out as a very slow, very mild burn. This is not a flaw; just a choice. The droll film isn't merely subdued, it's perhaps sub-subdued, with a terrific deadpan performance by Josh O'Connor as an unemployed carpenter turned poor-man's Thomas Crown. The fantastic supporting cast includes John Magaro, Eli Gelb, Hope Davis, Alana Haim, Gaby Hoffmann, Amanda Plummer, and Bill Camp.