Hull Independent Cinema – The Mastermind

Dir Kelly Reichardt | USA, UK | 2025 | 110 mins | Rated 12A | English, French
In a sedate Massachusetts suburb in 1970, unemployed family man, failed architect and amateur art thief James Blaine Mooney comes up with a bold plan to steal from a local art museum. With the museum cased and accomplices recruited, everything is in place, But stealing four paintings in broad daylight turns out to be easier than holding on to them and, Mooney is forced into a life on the run as the Police and FBI close in. A piercing portrait of a life collapsing under the weight of greed and ambition, powered by a superb central performance from Josh O’Connor.
Starring Josh O’Connor, Alana Haim, Bill Camp

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Cannes: Nominee, Palme d’Or
Valladolid Int’l FF: Winner, Best Film, Best Cinematography
Gotham Awards: Nominee, Best Film, Best Lead Performance
Ghent Int’l FF: Nominee, Best Film

REVIEWS
“This is magnetic, compulsively watchable work from O’Connor, who is shaping up to be one of the finest actors of his generation.” Wendy Ide, The Observer
“This is O’Connor at his finest yet, and The Mastermind is the slinkiest, most satisfying piece of “mood cinema” you’re likely to have seen for a long while.” ★★★★★ Nick Howells, London Standard
“The steal is managed with fine-tuned suspense: coolly, precisely edited by Reichardt herself and set to Rob Mazurek’s taut, urbane jazz score.” ★★★★★ Jonathan Romney, Financial Times
“Reichardt, with her regular cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, has a wonderful way of staging scenes that feel sparse and warm at the very same time.” ★★★★ Clarisse Loughrey, The Independent