The Mastermind, a movie about stealing art, seems to be stealing critics’ hearts. The new heist film features Josh O’Connor, known for films like God’s Own Country (2017), Emma (2020), La chimera (2023), and Challengers (2024). He also stars in the upcoming Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Ahead of its theatrical release on October 17, The Mastermind has debuted with a 90% score from the critics and is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has 50 reviews at the time of writing, so its score could fluctuate as more are published. Its audience score should also begin to take shape once it releases in theaters this Friday.

Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, known for minimalist slow cinema, The Mastermind stars Josh O’Connor as a suburban family man in the 1970s who secretly leads a double life as an art thief, targeting works by Arthur Dove, inspired by the real 1972 Worcester Art Museum heist in Mᴀssachusetts.

In addition to Emmy winner Josh O’Connor (The Crown), the cast also includes Alana Haim (Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza and One Battle After Another), three-time Emmy nominees Hope Davis (Succession), Gaby Hoffmann (Girls, Transparent), two-time Emmy nominee Bill Camp (The Night Of, Presumed Innocent), and John Magaro (Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow and Showing Up).

This past May, The Mastermind premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the festival. With a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. In ScreenRant‘s The Mastermind review, Gregory Nussen writes:

Kelly Reichardt’s heist film is a wry critique of political avoidance… The Mastermind uses the trappings of a heist film to explore the isolation of staying neutral during a time of cultural and political unrest.

Otherwise, the reviews highlight Kelly Reichardt’s unique and understated approach to a heist story – praising the film’s quiet observational style, meticulous period detail, and Josh O’Connor’s magnetic performance as a hapless art thief. The Mastermind is being celebrated for transforming a simple caper into a layered character study that reflects societal malaise, 1970s Americana, and human flaws while avoiding conventional heist tropes.

Many note the film’s dry humor and subtle surprises, which will reward patient viewers. In turn, some reviewers caution that Reichardt’s minimalist style and slow pacing may challenge casual audiences, with a few critics finding the film’s emotional engagement weaker compared to her earlier works. Yet, even when considered “minor Reichardt,” the film’s charm, ironic tone, and poetic quietness shine through.

Overall, The Mastermind is seen as an intelligent, stylish, and slightly offbeat heist movie that blends humor, melancholy, and historical texture into a memorable cinematic experience.