The Maiden Heist

2009 "They're not bad guys, just bad thieves."
6| 1h31m| PG-13| en
Details

A comedy centered on three museum security guards who devise a plan to steal back the artworks to which they have become attached after they are transferred to another museum.

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Reviews

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
bowmanblue Morgan Freeman. Christopher Walken. William H Macy. With three leads like that, how could the film possibly fail? It does. Sort of. 'The Heist' is about three security guards who work in a museum. When their favourite works of art are sold to an overseas gallery, they decide to steal them for themselves. The three leads are as good as you'd expect them to be. However, they're given very little to work with. You may see this advertised as a 'comedy,' but it really isn't that funny. It's sort of a drama, but not very dramatic. And don't be lulled into thinking there's any major action in it - if you've seen scenes of shoot-outs in the trailers then be warned: they're part of a sixty second dream sequence at the very start of the film.Yes, this film is pretty 'easy going.' It's gentle and warm and there's nothing to shock, offend or distress. However, with the acting talent on display, you feel it could be so much more. There will be two sorts of people who watch this: one sort will enjoy it for its niceness, the other sort will hate it for being boring. One thing's for sure... if it sadly average.http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
MBunge I was fairly delighted with The Maiden Heist. I picked it up hoping to see some amusing performances from a crew of appealing, veteran performers and that's what I got. There was a lot more of William H. Macy's bare butt than I expected, and I never quite figured out why the film didn't at least put some gray in Marcia Gay Harden's hair to try and compensate for the noticeable difference in ages between she and Christopher Walken as they played husband and wife. Harden seems to be playing the same age but looks at least 20 years younger than Walken, whose eyes are still bright but whose everything else has dimmed. But it takes more than middle-aged man ass to put me off a good comedy and the Harden/Walken contrast was more quizzical than annoying.Roger Barlow (Christopher Walken) is a museum security guard with a passion for French art and a particular obsession with one painting, The Lonely Maiden. When he finds out all the exhibits, including his beloved, are being shipped to Denmark to make way for some gaudy modern art, Roger recruits kindred spirits (Morgan Freeman and William H. Macy) who are similarly consumed by two other works of art in a scheme to steal their objects of desire and substitute copies for the trip to a Copenhagen museum. But Roger's very New Jersey-ish wife (Marcia Gay Harden) and a big slip up during the heist may land them all in very hot water.Now, The Maiden Heist is one of these comedies that's doesn't have a lot of actual jokes. There are some, including an inspired visual gag involving Walken repelling down the side of a building and others revolving around Macy's nudity, but this is a story that gets by on personality and tries to be more endearing than hilarious. So, if you're down in the dumps and need something energetic and aggressively funny to pull you out of it, this may not be the film for you. But if you're already in a relatively good mood and looking for a relaxing and somewhat enchanting way to spend 90 minutes, give this movie a go.Walken, Freeman and Macy are all wonderful and though Harden is playing more of a caricature, she does it quite well. The script does a great job of illustrating each man's preoccupation with their particular work of art in a different way and the plan to steal them is rather beautifully put together. There's also just enough clever visual imagery to keep your interest piqued without overwhelming the plot and the characters.It's a shame that many people don't and never will know about this little gem, but that's the paradox of entertainment we live with. Technology has given us access to more films than ever before. Unfortunately, that avalanche of choice combines with technology that allows the production of more god awful crap than ever before to bury movies like The Maiden Heist before the audience has a chance to know them. Changing economics and business models has made it even more difficult for films to get into theaters and stay there long enough to be discovered. Then they come out on DVD or get streamed online and have one week at best before another batch of new releases supplants them. Far too soon, they're shunted to a back shelf in the video store or relegated to one more name on a web page's ever lengthening list of films you can "order now!"Oh, well. I guess it has to be enough that The Maiden Heist and other movies like it are available for whomever is lucky to stumble across them. I'm glad I was one of them.
thomasbager During this movie it slowly occurred to me that its, very much based on a series of danish movies named "Olsen Banden" which translates = "The Olsen Gang" Christoffer Walkens wife's character is completely based on the wife of one of the characters in "Olsen Banden" as well, even their dilemma about cancelling their vacation, because of the heist, is taken from the same series of movies.In this clip they are talking about having to cancel their vacation as well, notice she speaks, and dresses the same :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAAAQaHaDlg ...even the danish security guard in the end of the movie, is like a tribute to the danish movies, because the jacket that he wears would certainlu not be worn in todays Denmark, but was featured many times in these danish 70's movies. Also, even the mention of Denmark is a tribute. So the makers of "The Maiden Heist" certainly haven't tried to hide the fact that they were influenced by "Olsen Banden".
gradyharp THE MAIDEN HEIST (there is a more to the title than you might think) is like getting together with old friends for a chuckle. Michael LeSieur has written a feel good comedy and Peter Hewitt has directed that script with the help of a fine cast and the results are a fun film that has some gentle hidden messages about friendship, relationships, and loving your job. A Boston art museum is making plans to ship an exhibition of works to Denmark. This news is hocking and upsetting to three of the museum guards: Charles (Morgan Freeman, in a subtle gender twist) is passionate for a painting of a girl with cats, Roger (Christopher) is literally enamored by a painting of a lonely girl on a beach, and military minded George (William H. Macy) is so obsessed by a bronze sculpture of an athlete that he secretly poses au natural imitating the pose of the athlete when no one is around. When these three works are designated to be part of the shipment to Denmark the three men pop into action - they find artists to copy their beloved artworks to 'exchange' in the crates when the exhibition leaves the museum. How they achieve this bold heist is the plot of the film. There are many problems: the exchanged crate must contain the authentic pieces accompanied by George until the shipment leaves the museum, and Roger's intrusive wife Rose (Marcia Gay Harden) nearly aborts the boys' plan by insisting on an anniversary trip to Florida. The heist has its problems, as the museum guards are simply good guys trying to prevent the sale of their beloved art works they guard every day. The poster line says it all: 'They're not bad guys, just bad thieves.' It is a pleasure to see three fine actors such as Freeman, Walken and Macy pull off this comedy, aided by the absurd character Marcia Gay Harden inhabits. It is well-scripted full and it is very obvious that these actors are having a great time with the film. Grady Harp