Sneakers (1992)

DIRECTOR: Phil Alden Robinson

CAST: Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, Mary McDonnell, David Strathairn, River Phoenix, Ben Kingsley, Timothy Busfield, Eddie Jones, Donal Logue, Stephen Tobolowsky

REVIEW:

Sneakers, coming out at a time when the pervasive technology at the center of its plot was only beginning to take off toward its virtually limitless full potential, is a bit like a forerunner of heist movies like Ocean’s Eleven.  Coming out in 1992, Sneakers is fairly low-tech by today’s standards, but it has a bit in common with Ocean’s Eleven in its offbeat ensemble team and a generally cheerful tone that, even when some scenes turn more serious, permeates the movie with the feeling that, more than anything else, this was made to be fun by people who had fun making it. 

Martin Bishop (Robert Redford) isn’t his real name, but it’s the one he’s gone by since he narrowly escaped being nabbed for hacking along with his college days friend Cosmo when he fortuitously went out for pizza right before the cops showed up to take Cosmo away.  Decades later, Bishop is the leader of a group of ex hackers and otherwise legally compromised individuals—ex CIA agent Crease (Sidney Poitier), conspiracy nut “Mother” (Dan Aykroyd), Whistler (David Strathairn) who is blind but has excellent hearing, and young Carl (River Phoenix in one of his last roles)—who now put their skills toward testing bank security systems.  It’s an honest living, but not a prosperous one, so when two (supposed) National Security Agents (Timothy Busfield and Eddie Jones) show up with a job, Bishop is persuaded partly by the money, and partly because they’ve got an arrest warrant with his real name on it, and his cooperation or lack thereof will decide what they do with it.  The mission, to steal a “black box” from a mathematician (Donal Logue), goes easily enough, but things get sticky when Martin and his team find out the NSA men aren’t what they claim to be, and that the item in their hands is a decoding machine that has the potential to crack and destroy any computer system in the world.  All this brings Martin face-to-face with his old friend Cosmo (Ben Kingsley), who has embraced a radical political agenda and wants to derail the governments of the world, and forces him to bring an old flame (Mary McDonnell) back on the team.

Sneakers isn’t quite as lightweight as Ocean’s Eleven, but it’s not taking things too seriously either.  Director Phil Alden Robinson (Field of Dreams) manages to blend comedy and a few thriller elements without the tone feeling schizophrenic.  One of the funniest scenes comes early, as Martin is forced to explain himself on the fly, and the others tell him what to say through his earpiece.  Other standout sequences include Whistler using keen hearing to figure out where a kidnapped Martin was taken by the sound of the highway, and Mary McDonnell’s Liz going out on a date with nerdy Stephen Tobolowsky to gain access to Cosmo’s office.  The biggest laugh-out-loud hilarious moment comes when Whistler, to his horror, is forced to take the wheel.  There are also prologue and epilogue jabs at the Republican Party that stray a little too far into political humor and feel a little out-of-place.

While this is an ensemble, Robert Redford commands the screen the most with his effortless screen presence and easygoing charm.  The rest of the team all get their own moment or two, with Sidney Poitier adding a touch of class to match Redford and Dan Aykroyd getting a few amusing moments as he rattles off conspiracy theories (“cattle mutilations are up”).  River Phoenix gets probably the least to do, but David Strathairn is arguably most memorable supporting member as the ingenious Whistler, whose blindness doesn’t seem much of a handicap.  Mary McDonnell provides a female presence in this boys’ club, along with a little low-key romance.  Ben Kingsley doesn’t have a lot of screentime, and his overdone American accent and unimposing presence leave him a rather non-threatening bad guy.  There’s also a cameo by James Earl Jones.

Sneakers‘s low-key tone is either frustrating or charming, depending on what your expectations are.  There’s a low-key hint of romance, but only a hint.  Things get a little tense toward the end, as Martin and company infiltrate Cosmo’s headquarters, but we’re not on the edge of our seat.  This also means the movie isn’t an overly memorable experience, although the game ensemble cast and lightly humorous tone ensures it goes down pleasantly. Don’t come to Sneakers expecting a nail biting techno thriller, or some deep statement about the world, but it has enough charm to provide a couple hours of solidly diverting entertainment.

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