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Parents' Guide to

Heist

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Very strong language, violence in dud crime movie.

Movie R 2015 93 minutes
Heist Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

John64
John64 Adult
September 9, 2018
age 18+
Great start to film, was very good apart from unrealistic ending. Very disappointed that De Niro was cast in this. 4.6 million at box office says everything.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Kumar P.
Kumar P. Adult
January 30, 2017
age 18+
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Vaughn (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) works as a dealer in a high-stakes casino; his boss, known as The Pope (Robert De Niro), hates to part with money and resorts to violence when necessary. Despite the cash flowing through the place, Vaughn can't afford to pay for an operation that his little girl needs. When disgruntled security guard Cox (Dave Bautista) proposes a robbery, Vaughn reluctantly agrees. It goes off without a hitch, but things get complicated when the thieves try to escape via a city bus and are spotted by a cop named Kris (Gina Carano). Things turn into a hostage situation, and tempers become frayed as more cops -- and the casino's second-in-command (Morris Chestnut) -- close in. Worse, Vaughn only has until 7 p.m. to get the money to the hospital to save his daughter.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Despite a high-concept idea and a good cast, this crime thriller feels somewhat half-baked and rushed. It might once have been promising, but it seems like something went wrong along the way. As The Pope, De Niro faintly recalls some of his great gangster roles, but here he's somehow flatter and less relevant. A scene with Kate Bosworth as his estranged daughter seems tacked on to give his character depth, but it doesn't work.

Director Scott Mann has another opportunity to build conflict between the characters played by Bautista and Morgan, but instead they simply yell and curse at each other throughout the movie; they have no real connection. Kris, played by former mixed martial artist Carano, could also have been an interesting character, but while Steven Soderbergh used her well in Haywire, Mann can't get a believable performance here. All in all, HEIST is a dud -- as evidenced by its generic title -- and a waste of talent.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Heist's violence. How did it affect you? Did it seem over the top? Thrilling? Gruesome? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Does the language in this movie seem stronger than usual? What effect does that have?

  • What other options does the main character have to save his daughter? How does the ending make you feel? Are his actions justified?

  • Is Kris a role model? Who is actress Gina Carano in real life? Does that affect how you view her character?

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