Deauville, Deauville International Center, September 7, 2025
Presented at the Deauville American Film Festival 2025, The Mastermind, written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, quickly emerged as one of the most intriguing cinematic propositions of the edition, not only because of its deliberate positioning as an anti-heist film but also due to the filmmaker’s unwavering commitment to her contemplative, deeply human storytelling approach. On September 7, at the Deauville International Centre, the presence of actor John Magaro infused the screening with a distinctive tone: rather than a high-energy promotional spectacle, the encounter unfolded with a calm, reflective intimacy perfectly aligned with the film’s sensibility. Even before the screening began, conversations circulating through the venue revealed a fascinating divide in expectations some festivalgoers anticipating a traditional heist thriller, others eagerly embracing the promise of Reichardt’s signature subversion of genre mechanics. That subtle tension between anticipation and uncertainty already hinted at the experience awaiting the audience.
Set in Massachusetts in 1970, The Mastermind follows Mooney, a struggling family man portrayed by Josh O'Connor, who devises a plan to steal artworks from a suburban museum against the backdrop of an America shaken by the Vietnam War. The ensemble cast including Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, and Bill Camp reinforces the film’s textured realism, while cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt captures the subdued light and melancholic banality of suburban landscapes with near-tactile precision. From its opening moments, the film distances itself from the conventions of the thriller genre: instead of glorifying meticulous strategy or criminal bravado, Reichardt patiently observes the hesitations, silences, and emotional drift of a man confusing personal freedom with escapist fantasy. This thematic thread, described by Kelly Reichardt as a struggle between the allure of individualism and the necessity of collective responsibility, quietly permeates the narrative, transforming what might have been a genre exercise into a character-driven meditation.
Partly inspired by real-life events, most notably the 1972 robbery of the Worcester Art Museum, and influenced by the cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville, the film plays with genre expectations only to dismantle them from within. Kelly Reichardt, long fascinated by art theft narratives, has spoken about collecting newspaper clippings about heists for years, intrigued by the paradoxical impulse to remove an artwork from public view for strictly private enjoyment. That idea resonates powerfully in The Mastermind, where Mooney’s choices are guided less by profit maximization than by ego and personal taste. Rather than targeting universally recognized masterpieces, he steals four real paintings by Arthur Dove Tree Forms (1932), Willow Tree (1937), Tanks & Snowbanks (1938), and Yellow, Blue-Green and Brown (1941) a decision that subtly reframes the stakes of the crime while revealing the character’s psychological landscape. In contrast to the spectacle-driven logic of classic heist films, Reichardt intentionally “lowers the stakes,” privileging emotional truth over narrative adrenaline.
The Deauville screening vividly illustrated this tension between audience expectations and artistic intent. Viewers exiting the theater frequently described the experience as “disorienting yet mesmerizing,” noting how the film prioritizes the gradual unraveling of Mooney’s plan. This anti-heist structure aligns more closely with the influence of Robert Bresson than with Hollywood’s genre templates: Mooney becomes a nearly blank figure, an interpretive surface onto which viewers project meaning. Josh O'Connor, praised for his disciplined restraint, delivers a performance defined by internal fracture and moral unease rather than criminal charisma, allowing the film’s emotional undercurrents to emerge organically. It is a portrayal built on nuance, absence, and ambiguity — qualities that have become hallmarks of Reichardt’s cinema.
Synopsis :
Massachusetts, 1970. Mooney, a family man looking for a new lease on life, decides to turn to art trafficking. With two accomplices, he breaks into a museum and steals paintings. But reality catches up with him: selling the works proves complicated. Hunted down, Mooney embarks on a journey of no return.
The Mastermind
Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt
Produced by Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, Vincent Savino
Starring Josh O'Connor, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, Bill Camp
Cinematography : Christopher Blauvelt
Edited by Kelly Reichardt
Music by Rob Mazurek
Production company : Filmscience
Distributed by Mubi (United States), Condor Distribution (France)
Release dates : May 23, 2025 (Cannes), October 17, 2025 (United States), February 4, 2026 (France)
Running time : 110 minutes
Информация по комментариям в разработке