Foolproof

I rented this video on a whim as I enjoy heist flicks, but went in expecting really grade B material. I ended up thoroughly enjoying this film! Ryan Reynolds and the cast were funny without overdoing it and worked well together. The film wasn't burdened with cheesy dialogue, hokey special effects and the such. Throughout it maintained a smart approach toward keeping the characters in the forefront. Yes, the heist sequences were detailed and decent in their own right and is on par with that of Entrapment but maybe even better: cool to watch without it being way, way over the top. But we never lose sight of the three central characters. It's finding these small niche gems that make watching films an adventure.

Slick, witty, snappy, tight, and fun. Bright, endearing leads. David Suchet is really good as someone who really isn't very nice. The heists (and camera/editing), while not exactly Mission Impossible, are innovative and exciting, and although you always know what's going to happen it's a fun ride getting there.

Foolproof doesn't have the same star-quality you might find in some bigger releases, but the film looks crisp and colourful with good (eg. believable, unobtrusive) special effects, and there are plenty of films - and big-name directors - who could learn a thing or two about getting sparky performances, and a pacy, neat little caper.

While not up to the pace and drama of The Italian Job or Heist,this made for cable epic is redeemed by a nice twist ending.

Kristin Booth as the female lead has charm and presence. Her smile lights up the screen and she looks capable of the part played by her character, with a well muscled build unlike the typical stick woman of Hollywood.

David Suchet, who you may remember as the cop in A Perfect Murder, underplays the villain well though the other leads struggle more with the wooden dialogue.

A diverting way to spend some time. Certainly better than The Score, which wasted a huge budget and big name actors. Here, a modest budget and working talent exceed expectations.

I'll admit it - I only went to see this movie to support the fact that a Canadian movie was playing at my local giant movie-plex - a rarity in these parts. I didn't know all that much about it and I went in thinking that there was a good chance that I was not going to like this movie.

But I was surprised. Although it wasn't the most techno-savvy heist movie with the coolest gadgets and up-to-the-minute technology, it had me entertained. That's not to say that there weren't gadgets and neat props used to pull of the heists - just not a plethora of things like you would see in a huge budget Hollywood movie. The parts in the movie that were supposed to be funny made me laugh and the tense parts had me going.

The setup, a trio of twenty-something friends making a game out of planning the perfect crime without actually any intention of pulling them off, was at least a refreshing start to a caper movie. They are not looking to score diamonds and make it rich - they are satisfied with knowing that they outsmarted the security companies and that they could pull off these jobs if they didn't have morals and a respect for the law (they are just desk-jockies).

I thought that the acting was well-done and the roles were believable. The script was pretty good and at least there wasn't a bunch of cheesy one-liners and awkward dialogue (although I too found that they said "foolproof" more times than warranted).

All in all I would have no problem recommending this to anyone. As long as you don't go into the theatre expecting the smartest, savvy-est, most original heist movie ever to grace the screen, then you'll most likely enjoy it for the 'popcorn movie' that it is.

Finally, a heist movie that doesn't have any noticeable plot holes, intriguing concept, and for Canadian viewers, doesn't attempt to hide a major Canadian city as somewhere in America.

Normally, I'm put off by action movies because of the plot holes and repetitiveness of so many of them. So "Foolproof" came as a pleasant treat- there is a MAJOR twist in the plot that you will just have to watch for yourself.

Watching "Foolproof" was like reading a nice mystery novel on a winter afternoon, (as it happens, I saw this movie on a snowy afternoon!)

If this is the future of Canadian film, more please!