Movie Review: 'The Getaway Plan' (2016)

Do you believe that a quality heist movie should include a sharp execution, an involving lead, and a strong ending? Then Eclectic Pop has good news because writer/director Iñaki Dorronsoro delivers all of this in "The Getaway Plan."

Dorronsoro's film (original title: "Plan de Fuga") is an intelligent caper that involves a lot of the usual elements for a heist movie. It centers on Víctor (Alain Hernández), a highly skilled thief, who is tasked by the Russian mafia to pull off a nearly impossible bank robbery.

As the film unfolds, we learn that Víctor is as much of a mystery, as the one surrounding the robbery he is trying to commit. In a testament to Alain Hernández’s performance, the truth surrounding Víctor is difficult to find because you do not want to see it. What is the truth and what is a tall tale? The answer is surprising.

“The Getaway Plan” is every bit a magic trick, keeping you looking one way, when you know you should be looking at the other. Before you doubt yourself and look back at where your instincts originally led you. Heist films are a marvelous exercise in this particular brand of psychological stamina and “The Getaway Plan” puts viewers through their paces.

[Image by Warner Bros./Atresmedia Cine]

The movie seems to know how you expect it to end and brilliantly plays off this anticipation with a twist you may not see coming, as it opens a trap door to a character-driven cliffhanger that has been there the whole time. Open endings are a gamble and this film’s twisty take on it will certainly inspire one's mind for some time to come.

Lensed with tremendous panache by cinematographer Sergi Vilanova, “The Getaway Plan” exudes intrigue, as does the film’s lead. Alain Hernández’s performance sets a crucial foundation from which the entire film springs. You have to want to believe in Víctor to buy the film, and Hernández makes that happen.

With a central character this calm, cool, and collected, the movie risks turning audiences off given his distanced demeanor, and yet it succeeds at accomplishing the exact opposite. Hernández strikes the balance between cool and cold, assuring that Víctor comes across as sly and stoic, instead of callous. That is no easy feat as Víctor's true nature is revealed and it is one of the most impressive ones; the film carries off.

“The Getaway Plan” is every bit a three-act play, neatly folding in a “ready, set, go” narrative that makes for an exciting ride, there's no desire to get away from.

Rating: 7.5/10

[Featured Image by Warner Bros./ Atresmedia Cine]