THE MASTERMIND

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This is a slight comedy drama set in 1970 from director Kelly Reichardt about a character, JB, played by Josh O'Connor, who can best be described as a waster.  

At least that's how his father, an eminent judge, sees him, lambasting JB in an early scene for not making more of himself.  JB's wife is also not a fan; she seems to have given up on him and the marriage, but staying with him for the sake of their twin boys.  

But hold on!  Maybe they (and we) have misjudged JB because it turns out that he has been quietly putting together a masterplan to steal some paintings from a local art gallery, which has required him to put in some effort casing the joint and assembling a ragtag team of ne'er-do-wells. 

Needless to say the heist doesn't go smoothly (the title of the film is clearly intended to be ironic).  For starters JB has to unexpectedly look after his boys because of a teachers' work day, but despite various mishaps it seems he has got away with it and all he has to do now is pay off his gang (with money borrowed from his mother, naturally) and offload the artwork.

But unfortunately things quickly unravel, what with one of the gang members getting caught when trying to rob a bank and naming JB, and then JB having to hand over the paintings to some professional criminals before going on the run.

There's an amusing interlude where JB spends a couple of days with a friend and his wife, the latter understandably not thrilled to be harbouring a fugitive from justice.

But then the film just fizzles out, ending abruptly with JB being caught up in an anti-Vietnam War protest and being mistakenly arrested.  

As a gentle comedy it works well enough - the judge and the twin boys in particular contribute some funny moments, and Josh O'Connor is well cast.  

But it's not much of a drama because it's all so superficial and insubstantial.  If we're supposed to feel some sympathy for where JB ends up I for one didn't, but it may simply be the case that (for no good reason) I don't warm to O'Connor as a film presence.  

Apparently Reichardt is an exponent of something called 'slow cinema'.  I enjoy slow journeys well enough, and this one has its fair share of diverting moments, but I like the destination to be add up to more than it does here.

RATING: ✓ Cheers

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