h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, in reality probably not, but surely the only way this sort of heist film works is if you want the thieves to win, in which case they have to either cool, clever, or altruistic, and preferably some combination thereof.

It works even better if person they as stealing from a horrible person who doesn't deserve the money they have, therefore making the crooks look like saints in comparison.

Take Ocean's 11 (the remake, that is) for example, the thieves aren't altruistic, but they are both cool and clever. And Terry Benedict, from whom they wish to steal, is depicted as a nasty person who is only interested in money. Well, yes, the thieves are interested in money too, but for the sake of what they can do with it, not the money itself. And there's the sense that Danny is doing all this to prove a point to his ex-wife - that Benedict cares about the money more than her - and him taking the money is merely a side benefit.

So, the thieves need to be Robin Hood, and the marks need to be King John, otherwise these films just don't work.


Geggs

I thought this one was just trying a bit too hard to get the audience onside. 'Smarmy' is the word I would use, now I think about it.