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Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind Opens, Turning the Heist Genre Inside Out

Critics single out Josh O’Connor’s performance in a patient, aftermath‑focused spin on a 1970 art heist.

Overview

  • MUBI released The Mastermind in theaters on October 17 following its festival run, including a Cannes competition bow.
  • Set in 1970 New England, the film draws loosely on a Worcester-area museum robbery as it tracks a bungled theft’s consequences.
  • Reviews describe a deconstructed caper that favors observation over spectacle, with character and fallout taking precedence over mechanics.
  • Josh O’Connor leads a cast that includes Alana Haim, Bill Camp, Hope Davis, John Magaro, and Gaby Hoffmann.
  • Craft elements frequently praised include Christopher Blauvelt’s period-rooted cinematography and Rob Mazurek’s jazz-inflected score, alongside notes about the film’s deliberate pacing that may divide viewers.