If you’re looking for an exciting action-filled film in the mould of Heat (1995 ) or Point Break (1991 ), look elsewhere. What you will get with Kelly Reichardt’s Mastermind is another methodically paced, process-focused journey with a protagonist adrift from society.
Mubi, the streaming service where this film is available to watch, has conveniently added Reichardt’s previous films Old Joy (2006 ) and Meek’s Cutoff (2011 ), to taste her cinematic style. What is clearly apparent is her interest in process and observation. She captures every mundane second of existence and does not cut what most filmmakers might deem superfluous.
This devotion to a naturalistic feel suggests an empathy for her characters, who are unremarkable in the dramatic sense; struggling to find their place. The Mastermind proves that she can also make a compelling genre film while not relinquishing any of her style.
Massachusetts, 1970: James (or JB ) Mooney is a husband and father visibly unfulfilled by his lot in life. In an early scene, while observing valuable artworks in his local museum, James is distant, both physically and emotionally, from his family. After a successful test-run, he sets a plan in motion to execute an ambitious heist with some similarly amateur accomplices.
The Mastermind does not cater to the masses. Those unfamiliar with Reichardt’s films or slower-paced narratives may not tune in to its wavelength. Characters are regularly reminded of the Vietnam War through TV and radio, and anti-war protests are omni-present. This, combined with the washed-out, grey colour palette of the cinematography, and Josh O’Connor’s perpetually unimpressed demeanour, implies a sickness that Mooney cannot easily shake.
Taking inspiration from the counter-culture movement, Mooney pushes back against authority, scoffing at the idea of a stable managerial role suggested by his father, a judge, as an admirable profession. Despite this, in the very next scene, Mooney is proudly commanding his own enterprise, albeit an illegal one.
Reichardt has skilfully drawn a character who is driven, yet aimless, keeping us in the dark regarding his ultimate objective. The character’s aloofness makes you question how he ended up in such a seemingly comfortable position with a family in the suburbs. In typical Reichardt fashion, we simply observe, which draws us in to the film’s enigmatic nature.
Mastermind‘s tone skirts between dour and tragicomic, and you really feel the chill of the wintry, East Coast setting. A jazzy score and roving camerawork, however, imbue the heist element of the film with a playful mischief.
The genre trappings are still honoured: Mooney’s crew have their assigned roles, the getaway plan and unforeseen obstacles. Reichardt stamps her individuality on these tropes, resulting in something much more concerned with the psychological and social consequences of crossing the border between right and wrong.
The Mastermind was unfortunately ignored by cinemas around Galway (another casualty of Pálás’ absence ) but fortunately has a streaming home on Mubi, a curated service dedicated to spotlighting films from around the globe, both past and present.
