Along with Quentin Tarantino, David Mamet is the most colorful screenwriter out there. Listening to this guy's dialogue is a pure joy. In the past couple of years, Mamet has gotten into the directing game as well with winners like The Spanish Prisoner, State and Main, and Winslow Boy. While The Heist isn't quite as good as those pictures, it's still far better than most of the crap in your local theaters.

Reminiscent of The Score from earlier this year, The Heist tells of an aging thief (a terrific Gene Hackman) who must pull off one last heist for nasty heavy Danny Devito. With the aid of a great crew (Delroy Lindo, Ricky Jay, and Rebecca Pidgeon) and one bad apple (Sam Rockwell), Hackman sets out to pull off his last job. Of course there seems to be a snag at every turn, as Hackman runs into one unexpected problem after another.

Mamet isn't interested in explosions and car chases. The Heist is very restrained and almost quiet. This is a story about character and realism. Hell, one might even call The Heist a "How to Steal" guide. Mamet's story is deliberately paced and although there is probably one too many double crosses, I enjoyed the intellectual wordplay running throughout the picture.

Like his character in the movie, Hackman is an aging pro. He's like fine wine. The guy just keeps getting better with age. Delroy Lindo is a commanding screen presence and he's so much more effective here than he was in the dreadful The One. Rebecca Pidgeon is an absolute delight. She's absolutely sexy here and she's very convincing. It's really hard to tell what's on her agenda. Danny DeVito seems to be having the time of his life playing a badass. It's not something he gets to do that often and he makes the most of it. Rockwell is sleazy fun as DeVito's number one guy. My favorite turn comes from Ricky Jay. He has a unique rhythm and it's fun to watch him glide through this part with absolute finesse.

The Heist doesn't feel like a big studio picture. The production values are top notch but the film itself has an independent sensibility and that's what I liked about it. That's what I love about all of Mamet's work. It never seems compromised. This guy makes films the way he wants to make them. Unfortunately The Heist probably wont make a lot of money. That's a shame because it really is a gem.