Flawless

Set in swinging London but with none of the location’s accoutrements, Flawless is an entertaining caper flick that’s unique because it is so old-fashioned and to the point. Director Michael Radford (Il Postino, Dancing at the Blue Iguana) keeps things moving steadily, minus the usual flash that accompanies films of this type, as he focuses on a janitor’s attempts to snag millions in diamonds from the British company he works for with help from the firm’s American executive. Michael Caine and Demi Moore play the parts, respectively, and submit solid performances. Rather than linger on the gadgetry used or even the heist itself, Radford zeroes in on the interplay of the characters and the robbery’s aftermath. The payoff is a decent film, although Flawless doesn’t come with the glitz of Oceans 11 or the zippy pacing of The Italian Job.

Shelf Talk: Flawless received a limited release and had a simultaneous March premiere on the HDNet cable network, but it doesn’t appear to have made any significant ripples. On DVD, both Moore and Caine have recently appeared in strong titles (he in Children of Men, The Prestige and recently released Sleuth, and she in Mr. Brooks and Bobby) and that, along with Flawless’ media exposure in magazines and on the Web, will help get the word out.