There are hundreds of movies about the criminal who gets out of jail and tries to live a clean life. The outcome can go either way, and you know that going in, but getting there is the fun part. “The Good Thief” doesn’t offer anything new in this category, and the journey is tiresome, but at least it tries … for whatever that is worth.
When the turning point comes for thief Chris Doogan (Christopher Kadish), we no longer care. We’re bored. We don’t care if he goes back to crime, stays with his new girl (Hannah Dalton), or tries to find a way to make things right with his family. Hell, I was hoping he’d get shot in the head, and I almost got my wish. He’s a wishy-washy criminal with boyish good looks that want to appear hard and stoic. His original reasons for turning to a life of crime are vague, but he does look right at home cleaning up around the diner where he’s employed. His character is just that type of person.
I love classic tales of redemption. I want to know what route the character will take and why. I want to place myself in their shoes. This movie doesn’t engage me in any of those things. As realistic as it is, it is too subtle for its own good, and it just never seems to build up momentum. If anything, “The Good Thief” made me want to watch “The Limey” again so that I could be reminded of how good a crime film with similar (though not exact) themes can be in the right hands.
