Masterplan Movie Review: Heist comedy film Masterplan, on Prime Video, combines a rather insane plan to steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum with the discovery that you not only have a sibling but also a father that you never knew about. With absurdity in every fibre of its being, the film makes sure to let you know that it’s fruitless to try and find any semblance of normalcy or believability in the runtime. It’s a crazy ride that depends on viewers’ ability to suspend disbelief.
The premise promises a blend of crime, comedy and complicated relationships, but whether or not it’s able to balance these elements is the real test. Directed by Thomas Vincent, the film stars Stanley Tucci, Victor Belmondo, and Simona Tabasco in the lead roles.
Masterplan Movie Review
A Mona Lisa Heist With a Family Twist
Legendary thief Roger decides to pull off the biggest heist of all time with the iconic Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum. For this huge undertaking, he recruits cybercrime expert Chiara and explosive specialist Jay, who happen to not only be siblings, but he’s their long-lost father. Suddenly working together to steal the Mona Lisa is complicated enough, but to add to that, the two now have to explore their feelings of being siblings and the complexities of finding a father they never knew existed.
The film doesn’t get deep into any of those elements or how shocking and difficult these revelations must be for two people. Both Chiara and Jay accept that the DNA test that is suddenly handed to them is real, and they just go on their merry way, acting as if they weren’t just thrust into a complex family dynamic that is completely new to them. Aside from calling each other siblings, there’s no discussion surrounding how these revelations might have an emotional impact on them.
With these two undertakings, the film has a ton to explore and conflicts that can stir up enough problems to last a TV show. However, things never quite reach that height of emotion at any point, other than some moments when we see a fractured family bonding together. As a crime comedy, Masterplan is confusing, and the emotions are all over the place. It’s sometimes difficult to understand what emotion the movie is trying to target.
Tried and Twisted
Masterplan, as one would expect from the title, features some heist shenanigans along with a twist towards the latter half of the runtime that’s supposed to leave viewers shocked. Unfortunately for the film, it’s as obvious as anything similar viewers might have seen in the past. The film’s twists and turns, despite what the filmmaking might feel like, are obvious from the moment it starts. As I mentioned earlier, I am confused as to why Chiara and Jay accept anything that this random man tells them, but if you’ve seen enough adventure films in the past, you know exactly what you’re in for.
From the onset, every twist, turn and action sequence is obvious and predictable. This results in the film not having anything to keep viewers hooked. Even the story is half-baked, and the family drama is unexplored, only existing so that Chiara and Jay can occasionally call each other “bro” and “sis.” The way the family drama is presented is so forced that even the actors seem uncomfortable, rushing forward to end the nonsensical plot.
Stanley Tucci Leads a Promising Cast
Stanley Tucci is a delight in any movie, even in one where the plot has nothing to offer. His character is supposed to be a master manipulator, which the screenplay is unable to bring to life. The same goes for Chiara and Jay; both characters are seemingly fantastic at cybercrime and bombs, respectively, but there’s very little to go on other than “trust us, bro.”
The unexpected family connection is introduced at the very beginning, but that, too, is somehow unexplored and simply introduced to be used at convenience. It offers interesting interactions sometimes but doesn’t make an impact in the story as a whole. The idea is mostly left unexplored and viewers will find themselves confused about why it was introduced at all.
Can the Heist and Family Drama Work Together?
The film attempts to balance heist and family drama, bringing the suspense, humour and unexpected complications of pulling off a heist with the heavier and more complex themes of unexplored family tension. However, Masterplan finds itself struggling in both departments.
The heist sequences, while interesting, are entirely unnecessary, with everything either being obvious or repetitive. As a result, the film fails to deliver the entertainment that viewers might expect. The combination of crime and comedy also falls short, and if you’re expecting a clever robbery, engaging character dynamics and consistently entertaining humour, none of it translates well enough to leave a lasting impression.
As mentioned earlier, the family drama is inconsistent and only added to bring another layer of conflict without letting it impact the story as a whole. It’s a plotline that is added for some gags, but seeing the characters evolve throughout the runtime and finding camaraderie among themselves is lost, as it doesn’t take the time to explore deeper scenarios.
Final Verdict
In the end, Masterplan might be a good watch if you want something lighthearted and unmemorable. The film has all the ingredients of an entertaining heist comedy but cannot balance its many elements, making all of the threads feel half-baked and underexplored. Overall, this is fine for a one-time watch, but the storytelling leaves a lot to be desired.
Watch Masterplan on Prime Video right now. Let us know your thoughts about the film in the comments below!
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