Home | About / Policies | Directory of Reviews | Search

Flawless

Flawless (DVD Cover)

Cast: Laura Quinn (Demi Moore), Hobbs (Michael Caine), Finch (Lambert Wilson), Ollie (Nathaniel Parker), Eaton (Shaughan Seymour), Jameson (Nicholas Jones), Fenton (David Barrass)

Director: Michael Radford

Theatrical release: 03/28/2008
DVD Date: 06/03/2008

Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 109 minutes

— ♦ —

Flawless

Review: Flawless has to be one of the quietest "heist" films ever made. That's not a negative criticism, just an observation. There are no action sequences and no violence to speak of. Even the language is tame. The film is set in 1960 and the producers have done an incredible job of recreating the look of this era, from the clothes the actors wear to the sets. In many ways, this feels like a movie from that time period.

Demi Moore stars as Laura Quinn, the sole female executive -- and not a very high one at that -- of London Diamond, which has a virtual monopoly on diamond production and distribution worldwide. The first 30 minutes or so of the film deals with Laura's frustration with continually being passed over for promotion and the company's image and competition and such, important for background but really not terribly relevant to the story. Michael Caine plays company custodian Hobbs, who has a plan to enhance his meager pension by stealing a handful of loose uncut diamonds from the company's vault. The diamonds are shown in open bins and it certainly looks as if a thermos-full would not be missed in the least. His plan needs but one more detail: the combination to the vault. He knows of Laura's frustration with the company and uses that information to his advantage, bringing her in -- if rather reluctantly -- on the theft.

Flawless is for the most part a thoughtful, nicely crafted film with a well-developed plot that takes a couple of unexpected turns along the way. It's told in flashback -- not my favorite manner of storytelling -- though I thought the present day scenes were particularly ineffective in setting up the story and bringing it to a close. Somewhat paradoxically, they are also the most improbable scenes of the film. I've never been much of a Demi Moore fan, but she's very good in her role her, reserved and tightly wound yet just a little bit fragile. The role of Hobbs seems as if it were written for Michael Caine; it fits him like a glove.

There are quite a few facets (pun intended!) to this film that are appealing, and while it is certainly not for everyone -- especially those that equate "heist" with "action" -- I think it is definitely worth a rental (or purchase for those who collect Demi Moore or Michael Caine films).

Purchase and/or Rental Options: