I am sure that the director and screenwriters have been under Michael Mann's THE THIEF influence; this gem made in 1980 and starring James Caan, who played a safe cracker, independant and lonely safe cracker who, with a couple of accomplices pulled some jobs whilst facing personal family problems. It is here a smoother story with obvious social messages and intimate atmosphere where the lead character is not a high scale robber, not as professional as Jimmy Caan was in THE THIEF, a guy who doesn't look like a gangster, a criminal - with no blood on his hands - though he is an outlaw anyway. A character with the most empathy from the audiences, very touching, pulled by awesome performances. Not a crime flick but a drama with some slight crime films elements in it. Very realistic in the acting, screenwriting, and directing. The main actor whom I don't know is riveting in the accuracy with which he plays his role.
