Today’s quick review: The Hot Rock. Freshly released from prison, burglar John Dortmunder (Robert Redford) immediately gets started planning his next job: stealing an African diamond for a wealthy client (Moses Gunn). With the help of his team (George Segal, Rob Leibman, and Paul Sand), John breaks into the museum and nabs the jewel. But before they can escape, the guards interrupt them, forcing them to hide the jewel so they can steal it later.
The Hot Rock is a crime comedy about a group of thieves’ repeated attempts to steal the same diamond. Bad luck dogs their every step, turning what should be a smooth heist into a series of mishaps that dangle the stone just out of reach. The Hot Rock offers a smattering of light comedy and some creative heists. However, the movie’s cyclic plot makes it hard for it to build up momentum, while its script isn’t strong enough to set it apart.
The Hot Rock’s distinguishing feature is its repeated heists centered around the same diamond. Each attempt at stealing the jewel ends up with it lost in another location, prompting John to come up with increasingly desperate plans to steal it. The plans range in quality from cunning to blunt to simply ridiculous. No single heist is brilliant, but the volume and variety of them give the movie plenty of material as a comedy and a caper.
The downside of this premise is that John and his team never seem to make any real progress. Each setback puts them at square one, meaning that the sotry may as well start over from scratch. There are a few enduring changes to their situation, such as the involvement of lawyer Abe Greenberg (Zero Mostel), the father of one of the thieves, but on the whole, the plot just cycles until it ends, robbing the story of most of its impact.
Watch The Hot Rock when you’re in the mood for a heist that’s free from violence and drama. Its light tone and smattering of comedy make it a pleasant watch, while John’s ever-more-absurd attempts to steal diamond give the film some novelty. However, its early 70s film style and oddly structured plot won’t appeal to everyone. Those hoping for an uproarious comedy or a tightly plotted heist may want to look elsewhere.
For a light crime comedy from the same era with a more memorable heist, try The Italian Job. For a modern crime comedy about an elusive diamond, try Blue Streak. For a crime comedy in the same vein starring an older Robert Redford, try The Old Man & the Gun.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a clever premise and decent comedy hurt somewhat by its odd story structure.