Kelly Reichardt Brings a New Twist to the Heist Genre with The Mastermind

Now playing in French theaters since February 4, The Mastermind marks a new chapter in Kelly Reichardt’s career. The film, which premiered at Cannes, stars Josh O’Connor alongside Alana Haim and John Magaro.

Presented in Competition, The Mastermind is Reichardt’s second film to screen at the festival. Known for her quiet, minimalist portraits of life in the American Northwest, the director steps into new territory with a heist drama set in 1970s Massachusetts — a notable shift from the Oregon landscapes that have defined much of her work.

Josh O’Connor takes on the role of J.B. Mooney, an out-of-work carpenter who decides to reinvent himself as an amateur art thief. Against the backdrop of a politically charged America, shaped by the Vietnam War and the rise of the women’s liberation movement, Mooney prepares his first major robbery. When the plan collapses, his personal and professional life quickly spirals out of control.

The film also brings together Reichardt and Alana Haim for the first time since the actress’s breakout performance in Licorice Pizza. Haim returns to the screen after a four-year absence, while O’Connor continues a strong Cannes presence this year following his role in Oliver Hermanus’s The History of Sound. The cast also includes Hope Davis, another first-time collaborator for Reichardt.

While The Mastermind departs from the director’s traditionally restrained and pastoral aesthetic, it remains rooted in her long-standing interest in the American working class. Reichardt, whose previous films include Wendy and Lucy and Showing Up, is known for her subtle, character-driven storytelling and her focus on everyday lives in small communities — a sensibility that echoes contemporary American independent cinema.

With The Mastermind, Reichardt offers audiences an unexpected take on the heist film, blending genre elements with her signature observational style.