Friday, July 9, 2021

Rough Cut (1980)

An enjoyable crime caper with a few twists and turns along the way. Jack Rhodes (Burt Reynolds) is a top-class jewel thief who combines his life of crime with a public life of respectability and style. Soon to retire, DCI Willis (David Niven) wants to take down Rhodes before his career ends and finds the perfect way to finally get his man in the lovely form of another jewel thief Gillian Bromley (Lesley Anne Down).

Bromley is used to lure Rhodes into a big heist involving a diamond shipment to the continent. However, the reluctant Bromley - who has fallen for Rhodes - tells him about Willis' trap. Despite this Rhodes decides to continue with the plot, get the diamonds and evade the law. Indeed the complicated crime, which stretches credibility and common sense a tad, goes through without a hitch but is there a final twist in the tale?

Although somewhat far-fetched and a little slow to get going, the film is a perfectly good crime drama with a good cast. The chemistry of the leads adds a lightness to the film and the final action packed act makes everything worth while.