HONEST THIEF
Terrific, redemptive thriller for mature viewers.
Should You Watch It?
HONEST THIEF is a terrific, well-acted thriller with a satisfying moral center. Its story of justice, love, second chances, and redemption follows a notorious bank robber who wants to turn himself in, return the money he stole, and leave his criminal life behind.
The film earns its mature-viewer framing with intense action violence, including gun violence, and some foul language. But it is free of lewd content, sexual immorality, and nudity. The movie also gives its hero a believable reason to do the right thing: love leads him toward repentance and a new life.
If you want an exciting thriller with a redemptive message, see it with mature viewers; parents should use discernment for older children.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESTom, a notorious bank robber known as the “In and Out Bandit,” has stolen millions through 12 bank robberies. After meeting Annie, a woman he loves, he decides to turn himself in to the FBI and return the money.
But two FBI agents see Tom’s surrender as an opportunity for themselves. Soon, Tom is being framed for murder, hunted by corrupt agents, and forced to protect Annie while proving the truth.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a terrific thriller that delivers both excitement and emotional satisfaction. Liam Neeson and the rest of the cast are praised as great, while the chemistry between Neeson and Kate Walsh gives the central relationship real importance. Annie is not merely a girlfriend; her love helps motivate Tom’s decision to change.
Writer-director Mark Williams keeps the movie sleek, with no wasted moments. The review does note some possible plot holes, but still calls HONEST THIEF perhaps the best thriller Neeson has made since the first TAKEN.
The Worldview
HONEST THIEF presents a strong Christian, redemptive worldview. It extols justice, love, second chances, redemption, and doing the right thing. Tom has robbed banks and enjoyed the adrenaline, but he wants to go straight and does. Love becomes the reason he repents and leaves his criminal life behind.
The film also presents a positive view of American police and the FBI, even though two agents are corrupt and are brought to justice. Images of churches throughout the Irish section of Boston provide a deliberate Christian background to the story of redemption.
The film’s moral vision is uplifting, though its redemption is expressed through doing right and changing one’s life rather than through an explicitly developed gospel message. Its central longing for a new beginning connects with Scripture: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong Christian, redemptive worldview, with very strong moral, redemptive messages extolling justice, love, second chances, redemption, and doing the right thing, plus movie has a positive view of American police and the FBI, even though two FBI agents are corrupt, but they are brought to justice
Foul Language
Nine obscenities (including one “f” word, one BS and one SOB) and two borderline profanities when man says, “Jesus, God,” upon discovering the woman he loves has been knocked unconscious and left barely alive by the ruthless main villain
Violence
Plenty of strong and light action violence, and ruthless villains includes main villain shoots some people dead and fights and punches a woman to get by force some information she has, woman gets knocked unconscious, and hero must rush her to the hospital and carry her in his arms to the emergency room, car chases, gun battles, hero is framed for murder and has to fight a good FBI agent, but he recognizes the agent is not a crook like two other agents and lets him go, part of a house explodes, hero fights homicidal/crooked FBI agent trying to kill him, hero threatens the homicidal agent’s partner but encourages him to do the right thing and turn on his evil partner (the homicidal agent is unmarried and at one point expresses skepticism about being married and having children, but his partner is married with children so he eventually feels more guilty about going along with the other agent; he also tries to restrain the homicidal agent’s villainy)
Sex
No sex scenes or implied/depicted sexual immorality
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Brief alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Some lying, hero has robbed 12 banks and gets an adrenaline rush from doing it, but he wants to go straight and does, and crooked FBI agents steal money and try to frame innocent hero for murder, but their criminal activities are foiled.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Tom wants to turn himself in and make right what he has done. Why is doing the right thing sometimes costly, and what does genuine repentance require?
Luke 19:8–9 · 2 Corinthians 7:10Annie’s love helps Tom leave his criminal life behind. How can love encourage someone toward wisdom without excusing wrongdoing?
1 Corinthians 13:6 · Galatians 6:1The corrupt agents use lies and violence for personal gain. Why does Scripture connect justice with truth?
Micah 6:8 · Ephesians 4:25Tom longs for a second chance. What does the Bible say about God’s ability to give people a new beginning?
2 Corinthians 5:17 · 1 John 1:9The Final Word
HONEST THIEF is an exciting, well-acted thriller with a strong message about justice, love, second chances, and redemption. Its violence and language call for discernment, especially with younger viewers, but mature audiences can find real satisfaction in Tom’s turn toward doing right. Our answer is WORTH THE TRIP — MATURE VIEWERS.
