The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 22, 2019

William Friedkin'S "The Brink's Job" (1978) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage trailer for the film as well as an exclusive new audio commentary by critics Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The plan

Some of the guys that robbed Brink’s Building in Boston in 1950 served as technical advisors on William Friedkin’s film, which makes the end product a bit puzzling. I just don’t believe that they were the jokers that the film portrays them as, especially when so much was on the line. From the little that I have read about the robbery, my impression is that these guys were very much into their work, not world-class pros, but definitely not a motley crew of working-class thrill-seekers either. Apparently, their biggest flaw was that they could not keep a secret.

Tony Piro (Peter Falk) is the mastermind that discovers how incredibly easy it is to get inside the building without activating the alarm. (In the old days, apparently a few wires here and there were enough to give the people doing business in the building and the guards a false sense of security). So, after he gets in and does a quick tour of the area that will be robbed, Piro goes back on the streets and begins shopping for partners. The people that he picks all turn out to be colorful characters from the working-class neighborhood and with long records of ‘accomplishments’. (Peter Boyle and Warren Oates’ characters are perhaps the most memorable ones, with the latter at one point suggesting that they use a bazooka to make a huge hole in the building that will make their entrance and consequently getaway easier). Then they do a couple of drills, just to make sure that they all understand exactly what Piro wants them to do, and pick the right day for the job. By the time they are all on the same page, however, just about everyone in the neighborhood knows that PIro and his guys are about to do something rather special.

The gang goes in, opens up the giant vault, and then goes out with huge bags of cash. They use trucks to transport it to a safe location in the middle of a bone-chilling January night. On the following morning, the first reports describe the job as “the crime of the century” -- more than $2.5 million dollars had vanished, a very large chunk of them in untraceable cash.

The most reckless of the robbers, Specs O’Keefe (Oates), then decides to get out of town and leaves the bulk of his share with another guy, but somewhere in Pennsylvania is arrested for another robbery. It is all downhill from here and it is only a matter of time before the rest of his partners are picked up as well.

The film has a wonderful period appearance that very quickly creates the right atmosphere for a classic caper, so when Falk begins scouting the area where the robbery will take place it just feels like it is only a matter of time before magic happens on the screen. Sadly, Friedkin does not get the best of the magnificent cast. Instead of a great buildup and eventually unforgettable fireworks, the film basically delivers a series of uneven episodes where occasionally effective but ultimately easily forgettable humor becomes way too prominent for the story to flourish as it should.

When the final credits roll it does not feel right to say that the film isn’t good. There are a lot of great things happening in it, and it is easy to see that plenty of the stars are having a ball before the camera. But something about the way different things are managed just does not feel perfect, as it should be, given the notorious story and the great cast that was assembled for the film.

*There is an old but quite curious story about a gang of robbers that wanted to get rich by stealing Friedkin’s film from a Boston studio in 1978. They hit the studio but ended up only with some cuts and trims, so when eventually one of these clueless guys called and demanded a huge ransom, Friedkin suggested that he and his partners “get a projector and enjoy the film.” (Apparently, the film had already been edited and assembled at Technicolor in New York).

The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, William Friedkin's The Brink's Job arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The master that was used to sourced the release does not have a pleasing organic appearance. There are a few areas where the visuals look somewhat decent -- and they are usually darker -- but the rest has a contrasty and rather harsh appearance that at times can be distracting. Depth isn't convincing either, especially where shadow definition clearly struggles. The color scheme is good, but there is no doubt in my mind that a new remaster will expand nuances. It will stabilize and improve some highlights as well. Some visuals occasionally look a tad shaky, though there are no serious stability issues to report. There are no large debris and cuts, but a few blemishes and dark spots can be seen. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical issues to report in our review. The audio is clear and stable. Balance is also very good. There are no age-related anomalies, such as hiss, background cracks, and distortions. Naturally, I am unsure if a new remix can offer any meaningful improvements.

The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage U.S. trailer for The Brink's Job. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, 480/60i).

• Commentary - critics Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson have pretty of interesting information about the real robbery that is recreated in William Friedkin's film, the sense of humor and style of the film, the cast and the quality of the individual performances, etc. The commentary was recorded exclusively for Kino Lorber.

• Trailers - additional trailers for other Kino Lorber releases.

The Brink's Job Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I feel that the management of the stars in The Brink's Job should have been a lot more convincing. Some do great things before the camera, but some do their parts as if they are auditioning for a jury of prominent critics who would judge them in a single scene. In other words, the notorious robbery, which is supposed to be the main event, often seems like a distraction in a sea of showboating. Also, the humor frequently feels overdone. So, The Brink's Job is not a bad film, but it is not the masterpiece that it could have been either. Kino Lorber's recent release is sourced from an older master with some obvious issues. RENT IT.