alexanderdavies-99382
I had fairly high hopes for this film. A combination like Sean Connery and Sidney Lumet has paved the way for classics like "The Hill" and "The Offence."
Sadly, "The Anderson Tapes" isn't one of them. The potential is there as the plot is a pretty good idea. It tends to become somewhat pointless in the end, given that the gang of robbers are having every single move watched by the police and the government. You just know that the film is going to finish on a downbeat note and sure enough, it does.
For the first time in his career, Sean Connery appears without wearing a toupee and this natural look suits him.
Lumet's direction is wasted as it is defeated by an ordinary screenplay and a distinct lack of suspense or thrills.
This is only for devoted fans of Sean Connery.
Martin Bradley
Apart from an unpleasant whiff of homophobia, exemplified largely by Martin Balsam's appallingly stereotypical gay character, "The Anderson Tapes" is a mostly excellent heist movie from Sidney Lumet, the heist here being that of a fancy New York apartment building and it's organized by Sean Connery's recently released jailbird. The twist, for want of a better word, is that Connery's every move is being filmed or recorded by someone. The robbery itself, which takes up most of the film, is very well handled and there is a good supporting cast that includes a young Christopher Walken in one of his early roles. Ultimately, though, this is minor Lumet, entertaining certainly but hardly memorable.
PimpinAinttEasy
This film was a joy to watch. On the surface it seems like a comedic heist film with Sean Connery at his scornful and provocative best. He compares picking safe's to rape and pulls women's hairs. His monologue at the beginning of the film was very entertaining. Martin Balsam sexes it up in an intense performance as a homosexual. A young Christopher Walken struts around in his film debut. I am not a big fan of Dyan Cannon. So the film could have used a sexier heroine. The film is also about the increasing use of surveillance in American society during the 60s and the 70s. Though the dark ending which seems to emphasize surveillance as one of the film's major themes was not that convincing. Quincy Jones catchy title score gets the film off to a great start. The editing deserves special mention - the way they cut from the heist scenes to the hostages talking to the police was special. I think Spike Lee might have been inspired by The Anderson Tapes when he edited The Inside Man. This film is cruelly underrated at 6.4. My 9 rating should help it on its way up.
Austin Walker
*SPOILERS?* Notable for having one of the most disastrous getaways of any heist film, the most distracting Welsh-disguised-as-New-York-accent I've ever seen, a truly impotent and therefore a real short-tempered henchman who Connery has to give a little glove slap to. I think, at one point, Connery doesn't even rough him up, he just pushes him by the burlap mask until he stumbles over like Porky Pig in a jumpsuit. I don't know. Dog Day Afternoon, Reservoir Dogs, or the lesser known Friends of Eddie Coyle are better if you're actually interested in the psychology of the thief instead of them trying to look badass and smoke cigarettes and slap chicks after they bang them. Its what got rich 70's directors like Sidney Lumet boned up enough to film it at least once a decade until his death, and God bless him, why shouldn't he? That being said, as a heist film, its probably only inferior to those that I named. For every Anderson Tapes, there are a dozen Bank Jobs, Snatches, Lock, Stocks, and Smoking Barrels, and Things to Do in Denver When You're Deads. That last one probably doesn't roll off the tongue quite as smooth. But its a pathetic film with guys pointing guns before swapping opinions on pop-culture. You get the idea. Anderson Tapes on the other hand, has Sean Connery pre-hair loss, great direction, and Christopher Walken looking emotionless about the things that make normal humans have to pop a couple Xanax before doing. Or maybe its because he was told "You're playing the part of bad guy number 3. Your name is the Kid and you wear a mask and drive a Volkswagen for the gang."
AD
