Macy's Naked Ambition
Roger Barlow (Christopher Walken) is a security guard at a museum, a job he has done for many years and where he has fallen in love with a specific painting. Roger is not the only one as security guard Charles Peterson (Morgan Freeman) also has a picture he is extremely fond of whilst George McLendon (William H. Macy) has a penchant for getting naked in front of a bronze statue. But when the museum decides to send an entire wing of exhibits to a Danish museum these three guards join forces to steal the art works which they are obsessed about. But first they must obtain forgeries of the pieces which leads to Roger stealing the money which his wife Rose (Marcia Gay Harden) has been putting by for her plans of retiring to Florida, causing her to become suspicious.
What happens when you bring 3 old timers, heading towards retirement and with no real experience of committing crime, together to try and steal artwork from the museum where they work? Yes that is right, nothing goes smoothly as they have falls when they try to abseil, bicker when it comes to the forgeries, struggle to act secretly and so on and so fourth. And yes whilst in the case of "The Heist" it has a specific storyline it does end up all being pretty familiar with it ending up comparable to many other movies which feature civilians trying to pull off a heist.
But whilst "The Heist" ends up familiar it still entertains and that is mainly down to the casting. Christopher Walken's longing looks at the painting he adores, Marcia Gay Harden as a typical brash city wife who works as a hairdresser, Morgan Freeman's nervousness as Charles whilst William H. Macy's full on military attitude as George it is what these actors bring to their roles, the comedy they deliver through mannerisms which puts the smile on your face more than the writing itself which is good but nothing new when you have obvious jokes such as when Roger is called to his bosses office to find the wife he has been lying to is sitting there giving him a squeaky bum moment.
What this all boils down to is that "The Heist" isn't anything new when it comes to old, untrained guys pulling off an eventful, accident filled heist. But despite being nothing new it is still entertaining mainly thanks to the first rate casting as it is the actors delivery which constantly makes you smile more than what goes on.