The Mastermind, the newest film from American director Kelly Reichardt, does a couple of things really well, and others, sadly, not so well.
The story, set in the 1970s, centers around an unemployed deadbeat father (Josh O’Connor) who decides to, for reasons unknown, steal a collection of paintings from the local art museum. This doesn’t go well, resulting in a run-in with the mob, a confrontation with the FBI, and a life on the run.
First, the good: The Mastermind is set largely in a very plain and bland East Coast town, and the cinematography by Christopher Blauvelt captures the beauty of the mundane. Shots of things like local architecture are really stunning, considering how everyday the imagery actually is.
Reichardt, who wrote the film as well, drags scenes on for longer than expected, creating suspense and cutting through the tension with hilarious moments of dark comedy. One of the funniest scenes is an interaction with a mob driver. And there’s a super fun jazzy soundtrack (composed by Rob Mazurek) that really adds some color and personality to the film.
The humor is definitely the highlight of the film; it all seems natural, and is the element that redeems the film from its lesser qualities.
It’s clear that Reichardt’s original vision was of a loser protagonist who fails at getting away with an art heist. But that vision gets completely lost.
No movie ever has to be made, and this film really made me think about that. The Mastermind doesn’t really have anything to say. Sometimes that’s fine in a film, as long as it is enjoyable. Despite its comic moments, this one isn’t enjoyable in the long run.
The first act is really good, setting up an art heist period piece with good comedy and suspense, but from there it completely loses any entertainment value. The acting isn’t bad, but definitely isn’t anything extraordinary.
One of its most frustrating parts is its setting. The entire film is backgrounded by discussions of the Vietnam War. The final scene, which takes place at a peace protest, demonstrates this, but there is never any connection made between the primary plot and the Vietnam-era American motifs that appear throughout the movie.
Ultimately we come away feeling dissatisfied. Following their peak in the first act, The Mastermind’s good qualities—its visuals, music and humor—are ultimately outweighed by its muddled, confused plot and boring second half.
Editor’s Note: The Mastermind is now playing at The SLO Film Center at the Palm Theatre.