Heist movies are available in quite a lot of flavors, from the intense to the comedic, from the informal to the action-oriented, however the one frequent denominator amongst them is that this — they’re centered on the frilly methods and plans by which thieves steal no matter it’s they’re after. You understand, like a heist. Director Leo Wang took that reality as a problem for his second function movie, a wildly energetic and goofy motion/comedy known as Breaking and Re-entering, and the end result simply is likely to be the closest factor you’ll discover to a Steven Soderbergh Ocean’s movie that isn’t truly a Steven Soderbergh Ocean’s movie.
Chang Bo-chun (Chen Bolin) leads his small, four-man group of thieves by way of an elaborate and in the end profitable heist nabbing thousands and thousands in money, and so they’re shortly on their approach residence. The top. Besides it’s not, as a result of they instantly uncover that they’ve been arrange by the person who employed them. Seems Chen Hai-jui (Wu Kang-ren) is definitely the person on the prime of the financial institution they simply robbed, and never solely is he planning on taking the entire cash, however he’s additionally going to have the 4 males killed. Even worse? He’s going to pin the entire thing on an worker named Shen Shu-wen (Cecilia Choi), who simply occurs to be an previous flame of Chang’s whom he nonetheless loves. The one factor to do now’s break again into the financial institution, return all the cash, and one way or the other keep away from the wrath of the banker. Simple peasy, proper?
The great thing about a reverse heist movie is that expectations exit the window. We’ve already seen an elaborate heist dedicated, and returning all of it requires a complete new plan with its personal dangers, pitfalls, and risks. Wang is aware of Breaking and Re-entering has to play double responsibility right here, and he’s greater than as much as the duty. It’s a enjoyable, energetic journey with charismatic characters and large laughs whereas additionally being light-weight and goofy as hell. That final half isn’t a unfavourable, although, because the silliness not often hinders the movie’s quite a few strengths.
Heist movies usually have an ensemble at their core, and Wang’s function continues that development with a enjoyable group, every with their very own distinct skillsets and personalities. Chang is the chief, the self-less thief who took the autumn for his group beforehand and spent 5 years behind bars in consequence. Kent Tsai is Kao, the simply excitable pc nerd, and Frederick Lee performs the group’s grasp of disguise, Uncle Bin. Each performers are clearly having fun with themselves, and, to indicate simply how foolish the movie is, Kao even says at one level that folks maintain mistaking him for Kent Tsai. JC Lin stars because the movie’s motion lead, Wen-hao, a powerful fighter and knife fanatic at all times wanting to caught somebody. The standout, although, at the least in terms of the laughs, is Wu’s villain. He’s a hands-off kinda man, a Taiwanese success story educated in America, dwelling off daddy’s cash, and seeing himself excessive above everybody round him — however he’s not practically as good as he thinks he’s.
The romance between Chang and Shen is arguably a bit shortchanged as their reunion strikes them shortly again into one another’s arms. She’s initially upset about him ghosting her 5 years in the past, however she has a really brief reminiscence. The simplicity and shallowness are par for the course in Breaking and Re-entering, however whereas it retains the movie from discovering any actual emotional weight, it’s principally on par with different movies of this kind as the main focus is the quick thrills and enjoyable instances. That mentioned, Wen-hao has one thing of an affection for Chang that, whereas by no means explicitly acknowledged as homosexual, is offered with sufficient heat and humor to land with a welcome sweetness.
Wang retains issues shifting at an actual clip — another excuse the movie stays so gentle as there’s little time for something deeper or heavier — and, as with the Soderbergh heist movies that impressed him, he masses the again finish with rewinds, flashbacks, spring forwards, and extra. It may be a bit dizzying for those who’re not paying consideration, and it grows more and more ridiculous too. Breaking and Re-entering is a not a movie destined to provide thieves any concepts, because the concepts listed here are all off the rattling wall. It wouldn’t work in a critical thriller, however the visible gags and narrative nonsense assist ship a goofily entertaining (reverse) heist flick.
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