The Mastermind

'The Mastermind' is a British-American drama written and directed by Kelly Reichardt. Premiering in May 2025 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or, it is a production by Mubi for its streaming service, debuting in October 2025.

We are set in 1970s Massachusetts, when the Vietnam War is ravaging US public opinion. The protagonist is James Blaine 'JB' Mooney, an art student from a wealthy family (his father is a judge), who now lives off his mother's money after losing his job as a carpenter. He has a wife and two sons. JB has always had a secret dream: to commit a robbery.

JB seeks two accomplices to rob the local museum, stealing four paintings by Arthur Dove. After studying the museum's security and footprint, the heist is successfully carried out, but everything that follows turns problematic: the escape, hiding, evading suspicion, returning to normal life... 'The Mastermind' is an atypical heist film, as it does not focus on the robbery or its preparation, but rather on the multitude of problems that can arise afterward.

The film, which has received great reviews, stars Josh O'Connor who, as JB Mooney, bears almost the entire weight of the film. He is joined by, among others, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, Bill Camp, John Magaro, and Gary Hoffmann.