I love heist movies, and many of my favorites (and some of the best) involve a mastermind. This expert assembles a team and executes a flawless robbery. He or she may face obstacles, but often succeeds in their criminal endeavor. I expected a similar heist story when I saw The Mastermind at the 61st Chicago International Film Festival. However, it told a different story of a criminal mastermind.
The Mastermind follows J.B. (Josh O’Connor), an unemployed former art student, who plans a heist at a museum. Things quickly escalate and go down a direction that J.B. doesn’t expect. This film goes against the traditional heist movie formula and the brilliant masterminds trope.
Warning: The Mastermind spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution
I Love That The Mastermind Title Is Misleading In The Best Way
If you hear a title like The Mastermind, you automatically make some assumptions. You assume it’s going to be similar to other heist movies, especially some classic 70s ones. Stylistically, it feels like these films, but you soon discover that the title has some irony. He is a mastermind in his head but not in practice. I started the film expecting a sleek heist movie, but it’s more of a dramedy of misfortune. The misfortunes are of J.B.’s making, but he still comes off like a man very unlucky.
At times, I ended up both pitying and despising J.B. He’s not this perfect criminal; instead, he’s a man with big ambitions but not the skill and dedication to live up to his expectations and dreams. The Mastermind constantly plays with this idea. Therefore, he’s almost a joke to his family and viewers.
The family dynamic adds layers to J.B. and could potentially explain some of his motives to succeed at this heist. His family seems frustrated. It’s almost as if they’ve given up on him because he continues to make decisions that disappoint or put his family at risk. J.B. is portrayed as a sympathetic character but ultimately a selfish one. Many masterminds are probably also self-involved, but you understand and justify it because they’re so talented. In The Mastermind, J.B.’s shortcomings glare. They also show how masterminds without skills to back it up could be people with misplaced ambition.
That helps make this such a different heist movie. Theoretically, J.B. is no different from any mastermind; he’s just bad at it.
I Found It Fascinating How The Movie Really Goes Against The Stereotypical Film Idea Of A Mastermind
I am not a heist movie expert, but I have seen enough great ones to know the leaders of heists are often expert criminals. They also have a Lonewolf, suave quality to them. They influence and inspire all those around them. You want to know a heist mastermind. There is a sense of allure and danger surrounding them.
J.B. doesn’t match the idea of a mastermind in many ways. He’s not a Lonewolf because he has a wife and children. He often comes off as pathetic, not suave. His crew doesn’t take him seriously. Then his plan isn’t executed flawlessly. The film has plenty of twists, but only in terms of how badly his decisions come back to haunt him.
In my opinion, J.B. still fits the idea of a mastermind. He develops a plan and then succeeds at stealing the art. It just doesn’t all go as he plans. J.B. is a mastermind, but he’s not a good one, or at least not the stereotypical movie version of one. The Mastermind completely disrupts the idea of a heist movie and masterminds. This makes it such a refreshing version of that type of film.
As The Mastermind Continues, I Delighted In How J.B. Becomes Less And Less Impressive
I am a fan of a loveable loser. J.B. gives that energy in The Mastermind. He starts the film by easily stealing from a museum as he tests his skills. It’s a small act that feels impressive but becomes less spectacular as you watch his grand failures unfold. The movie tricks you into believing that you’re about to watch a genius at work. However, The Mastermind shows that he’s only one in his mind.
J.B. ends the movie by getting caught, purely by accident. This sums up the film and J.B. as a person. He’s someone who wants to anchor and control his life, but life controls him. He aspires to become a mastermind criminal but has none of the skills and talent to execute this dream. You even learn that J.B. didn’t come up with the heist plan.
He did it for a former professor. J.B. has just been aimlessly going through life with dreams, and this comes back to hurt him by the end of The Mastermind. I left the film feeling like J.B. could have been a mastermind, but he just doesn’t use enough logic. This made me realize why so many in his life find him frustrating – despite loving him. J.B. feels more human than many mastermind characters, because the average person could not complete a heist flawlessly.
We all have some of the same mishaps as J.B.
I Think J.B.’s Family Man Status Also Really Adds To The Film’s Irony
As previously stated, many mastermind characters are Lonewolfs. They may have an old love that they regret losing or fall in love through the course of the movie. They are rarely married men with two children. The children and wife add to J.B.’s problems. He can’t just complete a heist because he also has to take care of his children. You’re frustrated with J.B. because he puts his family in jeopardy with his foolish pursuits. This isn’t a dilemma or problem with many other film heist leaders.
The Mastermind is a movie about a man who refuses to grow up. Dreaming about doing a heist is something for unmarried men or those who refuse to grow up. It shouldn’t be a part of J.B.’s daily activities.
I Think It’s Important To Note How Incompetence is A Major Theme Of The Mastermind Because That Ties Everything Together
The Mastermind shows how incompetent J.B. is and how that continues to lead to bad decisions. One of the key traits of a mastermind is that they’re extremely competent. They may face obstacles, but they have the skills and intellect to find a way to solve these problems. J.B. never gives you that sense of trust. You expect him to mess up, but you’re just not sure how.
The Mastrmind has a satisfying ending because J.B. earns his demise. He commits one last act of villainy before swiftly being taken to prison. He isn’t like one of those villains whose motives are justified because all his actions could be prevented. The ending is a consequence of his actions and incompetence.
The Mastermind is one of the great movies of 2025, and one of the upcoming movies that is a must-see. It’s an entertaining journey while dissecting the idea of a mastermind.