Kelly Reichardt, the director of The Mastermind, is best known for her minimalist, character-driven films that explore everyday struggles. Interesting then, that she chose to make a heist movie in The Mastermind.
The heist trope usually contains slick characters, sharp clothes, a glamorous crew of experts, witty dialogue, intricate and intelligent planning and tense action scenes. Reichardt instead tells the story of an incompetent protagonist, a rushed and amateur heist, and a focus on the humiliation and fallout of the crime.
Her pace is slow and her characters ordinary. The ironically titled The Mastermind becomes a meditation on failure, rather than an entertaining action film that emphasises the glamour of crime. In essence, she strips away spectacle in order to reveal deeper truths about human fragility and fallibility.
The main character in The Mastermind is James Blaine (JB) Mooney, a failed architect turned carpenter played by Josh O’Connor, who, struggling to support his family, plans an art heist on a small-town gallery in his town in 70s Massachusetts.
He hires a couple of small-time petty crooks to execute the heist of three obscure paintings by a little-known artist. The central tenet of his ill-conceived plan centres around the fact that the security guard is often asleep.
He drives the getaway car, and his incompetent employees do the heist in broad daylight, wearing pantyhose on their heads, clumsily dealing with a school child that stumbles across their heist, and hilariously bumbling past the security guards at the entrance. James imagines himself as a creative genius, but his poor planning and incompetence highlight the gap between his self-image and reality.
Reichardt grounds the film in Mooney’s domestic life. His wife, children and relatives embody the ordinary responsibilities that he neglects. His crime isn’t just about stolen art. It’s about the collapse of his family’s stability under the weight of his delusion.
His arrest during a Vietnam War protest, which he has no interest in, situates his crime against the weight of genuine social struggle. He becomes part of history by accident, highlighting how personal ambitions can be dwarfed by collective moments.
Instead of a glamorous downfall, JB’s failure is almost absurd. His attempts to hide the paintings in barns and suburban spaces emphasise the ridiculousness of his ‘master plan.’ Reichardt uses humour and irony to strip away the romance of crime.
The theft reflects JB’s desire for wealth and status. He fancies himself as an intelligent, glamorous crim (George Clooney in Ocean’s Eleven). But in fact, the movie points to the fact that this kind of ambition is hollow and soulless.
The performances are subtle and restrained. Although the quietness and ordinariness of Josh O’Connor’s performance is at times so restrained it becomes boring. Without the charisma and wit of a typical anti-hero, his character seems insipid and inconsequential. His selfishness and ego are annoying, his disinterest in his children and his self-delusion are irritating, and without the dramatic punch of a traditional heist movie, the whole film feels slow and drawn out.
One questions whether one cares enough about the central protagonist to be invested in his story of quiet desperation and failure. The film is marketed as a comedy. But the laughs coming from the audience were thin on the ground the night this reviewer attended.
Reichardt asks audiences to reflect on our own egotistical ambitions and the emptiness of the myths capitalism feeds us about crime, money, and success. These are noble, important questions, grounded in deep insight into human nature. There’s no denying the integrity and intelligence of Reichardt’s filmmaking.
Yet cinema at its best marries intellectual rigour with emotional engagement. The Mastermind offers sharp observations. But too often it sacrifices momentum and humour, leaving viewers admiring its ideas more than enjoying its execution. With a touch more levity and narrative drive, the film might have transcended its austerity to become not just thought-provoking, but unforgettable.
The Mastermind runs to 7 December 2025 as part of Perth Festival. Somerville Auditorium, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Godroo / Crawley WA 6009.
Tickets: https://www.perthfestival.com.au/program/season-2026/the-mastermind
Website: https://www.perthfestival.com.au/program/season-2026/lotterywest-films
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/perthfest/ and https://www.instagram.com/lotterywest/
Watch the trailer here:
Film details:
Title: The Mastermind
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Bill Camp, Hope Davis, Sterling Thompson, Alana Haim, Gaby Hoffmann, Eli Gelb, Jasper Thompson, Cole Doman, John Magaro
Country of Origin: USA
Duration: 110 mins
Rating: M
