Thief

I knew I had underestimated this one just a few days after I watched it in December. This rewatch had been stewing for a while, and I was entranced from the start. The score, the grainy film and how great it makes those wet streets and bright lights look, the character of Frank, all of it.  Obligated to say I officially like this more than Heat. Beyond probably just personal taste- I think Heat ventures too far into spectacle and sometimes feels cheesy (i feel the need to state I still love Heat), particularly the female characters and their interactions with the main characters. Frank and Jessie’s relationship compared to Neil and Eady is much more developed and their bond makes more sense. Frank and Jessie have conversations (still somewhat clichéd), Neil talks at Eady most of the time. I think Thief’s dialogue even in its most “badass” moments is more grounded than some of Heat’s. Frank’s conflict with Leo feels so prescient today as a statement on class and the struggle between capital and labor. Leo is going to work Frank to the bone for pennies on the dollar. Rather than give in, Frank prefers to blow up his dream life and start over independent over going back to a different kind of prison.