MovieChat Forums > Heist (2001) Discussion > That Wiley Old Fox!!

That Wiley Old Fox!!

posted 18 years ago by Paul_Kersey_Jr
4 replies | jump to latest

That was my reaction to various parts of the movie. It was so obvious whenever they were doing a con, that it was lame. And afterwards they would be chuckling and winking like the wiley old foxes they are.
One question,is when they are doing whatever at the roadside dressed like constuction workers. Were they planting the bomb for a later explosion? If so,why did they need 5 guys? Then when the cop comes by, that amateur dude is going to shoot him? What idiot would do that? What was the cop going to find out??
Just alot of stupid unrealistic crap in this film. The ending,where the idiot doesnt even check the gold- cmon...
Then the wiley old fox drives away,laughing. What a fitting cheesefilled ending for this ridiculous movie. Its like its supposed to be all hip,and sophisticated,saavy, but the script is just lame and stupid. Ohhh,explosions as distraction devices-you guys are so high tech. Lets take a simple operation,and turn it into some complex scheme that nobody would do.

Still,it was watchable, i gave it a 5/10.

[–] eyeon 18 years ago

There's already a lot of discussion on these boards about why you might have a different take on this film (not attempting to be 'hip' and 'savvy', but Mamet subverting the heist film genre) so I really don't feel the need to add to that. If you're interested, you could take a look, and then try watching the film again. I think it might repay the effort -- I think the film's fantastic, and truly hilarious, and that's part of the reason.

I don't think anyone's put the question of what the cops would find out about Hackman, though, so my two cents is that Johnny Silk was worried that they'd realize Hackman's character was wanted for the jewelry robbery at the beginning. The point of his going to shoot the cops was that he didn't have the self-control to make it as a professional, but panicked when the going got tough.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Paul_Kersey_Jr 18 years ago

Youve got a point, im just saying this guy seems way too amateurish. It would be one thing to pull out his gun and watch,but opening the door and crap,when there isnt any threat? And even if the cop wanted to take the old guy in for questioning,isnt that better than killing a cop? Im sure that wiley old fox could weasel his way out of an interrogation.
I was under the impression Jimmy Silk already had some experience in crime.
It was just too much.

Another reason is im critical of this movie in general. The more i think about it, maybe it supposed to be a subtle parody, mocking these kind of movies?
All the overdone "criminal slang" usage,the wiley con-games with the sudden change in demeanor afterwards etc, it was more funny than anything else.

[–] eyeon 18 years ago

Yep, that was sort of my take. It's a comedy first, action/thriller second. My feeling was that you were meant to get drawn into the ridiculously convoluted plot (and dialogue) despite yourself, and that's certainly what happened when I was watching.