MASTERMINDS
US, 2016, 95 minutes, Colour.
Zach Galifiniakis, Owen Wilson, Kristin Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Kate Mac Kinnon, Leslie Jones.
Directed by Jared Hess.
Masterminds they are not!
This is a surprisingly enjoyable comedy, better than might have been expected, providing some laughs and some appreciative chuckles. While it is a comedy, the film has a serious underlying plot, based on actual events of 1997, the robbery of $17 million from an armoured car in a somewhat backwoods area of North Carolina. Working title of the film was Armoured Car.
What makes the difference, and one wonders how much this was based on the actual character, is Galifiniakis’ performance as David Ghant, a very ordinary type, more than a touch of the dumb, yet with a certain innate shrewdness, engaged to a harridan of a woman (Kate Mac Kinnon) who feels she needs to get married especially after her loving fiance dies and all that seems to be left is David.
He works for a company transferring cash for banks, and is partnered with a woman that he does not realise he is smitten with, Kelly, Kristin Wiig, though she is part of a bunch of crooks, led by Steve, Owen Wilson, who think that it would be a good idea to use David to rob the armoured car company.
This actually happens – but not without a great deal of goofy pratfalls as David single-handed takes all the money in the vault.
Needless to say, he is to be the fall guy, urged to go down to Mexico with his trousers full of cash, Kelly promising to come to be with him, but…
On the one hand there is the comedy as the less than mastermind Steve is goaded by his wife to buy clothes, then a sports car, then more sports cars, then a mansion…
In the meantime, David becomes a bit more savvy, is able to elude the police, disguise himself, but is confronted by a hitman sent by his colleagues. The hitman is played by Jason Sudeikis who provides a lot of the comedy with his serious take on his job, discovering that David has been given his name and, instead of being suspicious, remembers The Parent Trap and how two siblings could grow up without knowing each other!
There are some final shenanigans at a big party hosted by Steve, with the FBI agents closing in for arrests.
Though the film was made before the recent Ghostbusters, this film does feature three of them, Kristin Wiig, Kate MacKinnon? and, as an FBI agent, Leslie Jones.
Probably rather silly, but not a swear word within earshot, some very mild rude jokes, but a pleasing enough hour and a half.
1. An entertaining blend of comedy and true robbery story? Investigation?
2. The story of 1997, the credibility of the characters, the robbery itself, its extent? The factual information given at the end of the film?
3. The title, Armoured Car versus Masterminds?
4. The Carolina settings, the backblocks, the town, homes, the company? The contrast with wealth, shopping, the mansion? The range of the Mexican sequences, flash hotels, poverty and the streets? The musical score and songs?
5. The cast, the Saturday Night Live background, comic performance, stand-up, their comic styles? The range of jokes, deadpan, pratfalls? The blend of the silly and the ironic? Some mild rude jokes?
6. Zach Galafiniakis as David, his appearance, short and stocky, his hair, his life, his being simple but the touch of the shrewd? At work, his liking for Kelly? Driving, his partner? Going to see his fiancee, her domination, her mother, the photos and the range and humour?
7. Steve, family, his ambitious wife, his looking down on his two children? His friends in the gang? The idea for the robbery? Discussions with Kelly, Kelly and her background in the company, the clash with the boss and mocking him, breaking the window, fired? Her persuading David to go to the diner? Steve with his back turned, calling himself Gepetto and David quibbling about who pulled the strings for Pinocchio? Kelly and her basic seductive line? David and his agreement?
8. The plan, David and his work at the centre, having the key, his partner leaving – but returning and the explanation? The amount of cash in the safe? David and his awkwardness and pratfalls in getting the money into the van? Being locked in the back, the brick and pedal, crashing through the wall? $17 million?
9. David is the fall guy for Steve? Sending him to Mexico, stuffing the money in his pants? At the airport? Mexico, the hotel, the room, enjoying everything? The weekly phone calls to Kelly? His feelings for Kelly, her beginning to feel for him, her not coming to Mexico?
10. Steve and his wife, the kids, her persuading him to spend, the clothes, then the car, then the other cars, the mansion? The neighbours? The big party? Steve and his hoping for David to be arrested, giving the photo and putting him in with the police? David eluding the police? Steve hiring the hitman?
11. David, the police coming, getting the ice, his escape, phoning Kelly, surviving, the disguise? His becoming the target of the hitman?
12. The hit man, his style, enjoying the struggle, David as his target, his deadpan personality? Targeting David, the issue of his identity, the same name, his using the Parent Trap as an understanding of the bond between them? Not killing David? David seeing Kelly’s name on his hand, that she was the next target? Their exchanging tickets, David going home to the rescue?
13. The background of the Mexican police, the American FBI, the agents, their interviewing everyone, David’s fiance and her mother, the interview with Kelly, interviewing David’s partner, Steve?
14. David, getting back, dressing up for the party, the gift, Kelly locked in the shed, his rescuing her? The barrels of money – and his throwing one in the lake for the future? Getting the car, crashing into the gate, the FBI agents?
15. The neighbours, the hidden microphone, the explosion?
16. Steve, being recorded, his berating David, the FBI listening, the arrests?
17. David and Kelly, their discussions, going to jail? With the money afterwards?
18. The jokey credits and the information about what happened to everyone?
