These days, heist movies are one of the most engaging forms of content when it comes to delivering a gripping thriller. Lies in the heart of it meticulous planning, the challenges encountered during execution, dodging the bullets of the ever-present threat of law enforcement. With blockbuster franchises like Money Heist or Now You See Me already leading the genre, the competition is tough. But not all heist movies begin with the executioner’s intention of becoming a millionaire; some are the result of unforeseen circumstances, like The Mastermind.

Promising an engaging watch and collecting approval from film festivals around the world, the movie has arrived, bringing more than just another heist.  

Taking the viewers back almost half a century, The Mastermind is set in a sedate corner of Massachusetts circa 1970; an unemployed carpenter turned amateur art thief plans his first big heist. It stars Josh O’Connor as James Blaine Mooney, and starring against him is musician and actress Alana Heim.

Apart from them, the movie also stars Hope Davis, John Magaro, Bill Camp, Gabby Hoffmann, Amanda Plummer, and others. Before reaching the audience, the movie was selected for the Official Selection of the Sydney Film Festival.

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It is also a part of the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, where it has been nominated for the Palme d'Or, owing to its compelling theme.

The plot of The Mastermind revolves around James Mooney, played by Josh O’Connor, who executes a valiant art heist in the company of two cohorts who wander into a museum and steal four paintings in broad daylight. The story is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the country’s burgeoning women’s liberation movement.

But every action has consequences, and so does this bold criminal endeavor. When things fell below his perfect plan, Mooney’s life unravels, and now he must navigate a world marked by shifting social and political dynamics while being on the run. Made by Kelly Reichardt, the movie is expected to have plenty of long takes, with minimalist dialogue and drama that unfolds very soon.

The Mastermind is a Mubi release and had its world premiere at the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival on May 23. Days ago, speaking to Deadline, Josh O’Connor praised his director and her vision for the movie, saying, “It’s in the traditional Kelly fashion. It’s looking at the world through the people that fall between the cracks and not necessarily the people you’d expect.”

At Cannes, it is competing with other contenders like Scarlet Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor, the Great received a six-minute standing ovation after screening and also had a gripping theme of old age and its dilemmas. The Mastermind has been released on Mubi on May 23, too.

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What are your thoughts on The Mastermind? Will you watch it? Do tell us in the comments below.