MASTERPLAN

No, this heist movie doesn't deliver on its promise. Most of the story focuses on the minutiae of planning the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, which should interest viewers. However, the repetitive scenes of thieves using technology and arguing about potential double-crosses make this a boring watch. By the time the thieves set their plan in motion, you've lost interest in the whole thing.

While this one works hard to deliver twists and turns, it remains predictable. Characters express suspicion but ultimately trust each other, only to face double-crosses in the end. The painting switches hands many times, and it's obvious who has it and where it ends up. The lead cast, Stanley Tucci, Victor Belmondo, and Simona Tabasco, perform well together, but not enough to keep viewers engaged.

The movie includes a lot of foul language and immoral behavior centered on theft. Characters lie, steal, sneak around, and deceive each other throughout, without apology. While family bonds are central, the film overall does not suit children, and parents should use discernment when watching with teens. With a predictable plot and little suspense, this heist isn't worth the effort to crack.

Professional thieves Jay and Chiara are mystified when Roger, a fellow thief, summons them for a mission: steal the Mona Lisa from the Louver. Complicating matters further, he reveals he is their biological father. As the trio works together to pull off the heist, they must figure out whether their familial bond will protect them from double-crossing each other, and whether they can really steal the world's most famous painting.

Two stars for a movie that ultimately fails to deliver an interesting story. The reveal that the thieves are all family is interesting, but it devolves into cheesy jokes about sibling squabbles and being a single dad.

Additionally, there isn't much action; most of the movie focuses on planning the heist, so viewers get many scenes of characters staring at computers and arguing over what to do. By the time the heist happens, viewers will likely no longer care what's going on.

The script focuses on intrigue, with lots of twists and turns. However, they are all pretty predictable; any big "reveals" are coming from a mile away, and viewers will have lost interest by the time the biggest twist hits. Stanley Tucci, Victor Belmondo, and Simona Tabasco work well together, but that's not enough to save the script.

The movie offers a light moral worldview with Romantic elements. It honors family in all its forms and celebrates the loyalty that binds the crew together. Still, this family bond never leads anyone toward truth or repentance. The heroes lie, steal, break into buildings, and deceive others to pull off their heists, all without remorse.

The story invites viewers to cheer for these schemes and admire the cleverness behind them. Only one character faces consequences. He sacrifices himself so the others can escape and goes to prison, a moment that briefly echoes biblical models of selfless sacrifice. Yet he later breaks out, which erases the one cost the story shows.

Scripture teaches that a man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7), but the movie lets sin go unpunished and treats loyalty to the crew as the highest good. In the end, these characters build their love on lies.

MASTERPLAN turns an art theft into a family affair, but it falls flat. A predictable plot and a lack of real action leave little to hold the audience’s attention. Worse, the story rewards lies, theft, and deception and asks viewers to cheer for sin without consequence. Between the frequent foul language and the immoral message, families should skip MASTERPLAN altogether. Christian viewers can find far better stories of family loyalty that honor truth and point toward God.