SNEAKERS

US, 1992, 126 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, David Strathairn, Dan Aykroyd, River Phoenix, Timothy Busfield, Mary Mc Donnell, Ben Kingsley, Donal Logue, Stephen Tobolowsky, James Earl Jones.
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson.

The star cast is impressive for starters, Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Ben Kingsley, Dan Aykroyd, River Phoenix and Mary McDonnell? – and all very good. One might say it is in the tradition of The Sting. However, the setting is modern, very modern with the most up-to-date surveillance technology that means that contemporary stings are designed with computer wit.

Redford and company are skilled at break-ins – and there are several in the movie. But who are the good guys and who are the baddies is for the audience to work out.

The screenplay is more than usually witty for this kind of caper, from the anagrams during the credits to the many one-liners. Writer-director is Phil Alden Robinson who made a hit with his Field of Dreams. It is a frothy entertainment but very nicely done.

1. The popularity of the film? In the early 90s? The end of the Cold War? Espionage? Computers and development? Topical? The blend of the funny and serious?

2. The San Francisco locations, an authentic feel? The American atmosphere? Technology and the future? The score and the moods?

3. The technology of the early 90s, computers, encryptions, decryption? Chips? The information, surveillance? Industrial and political espionage? Control?

4. The title, the group and their job, to get the codes?

5. The prologue, Martin and Cosmo, at college age? Their computer skills? Money, gifts? The pizza? The arrest?

6. The present: the team, the commission from the CIA, the robbery? Seeing them in action, the teamwork? Clever, each playing a part? The introduction to each of the characters? The flip aspects, the serious?

7. The security group and the interview, the power over Martin, the blackmail? Forcing him to accept the job? Gathering the team? The situation, the Russian connections? The scientific lecture? Gregor ? Elizabeth?

8. The surveillance of the inventor, the sexual aspects, the code, the box and the stealing? Martin and relationships? Prompted by the team? Going to security, the murder, escape?

9. The tensions with the stealing of the box? The intervention of the FBI? The phone call? Playtronics? Cosmo as the villain, his motivation? Relationship with the team? The interview? The kidnapping and the shooting of Gregor?

10. The stealing of the box, the preparation, the techniques, Werner and Liz? The operation? The failures, tension? Cosmo, the killers? Whistler and his contribution? Blind? The drive, the confrontation with Cosmo, the escape?

11. The security, wishes fulfilled?

12. 1990, American politics, Russia, the fall of the Soviet Union? The end of the Cold War? Animosities? Power struggles? Codes? Types?

13. Robert Redford as Martin, the young Martin, the pizza, twenty years and history? His radicalisation in the 60s? The group, seeing him in action? Clever, playing dumb? With Liz? The jobs and his hopes, the stealing of the box, the pursuit, the confrontation with Cosmo, the plan and its execution, the failure – but the ending?

14. Liz and the bond, her style, relationship with Martin? The lecture, helping, the party, their dancing with each other? The box, the date? Werner? Funny and serious? Interaction with Cosmo?

15. Donald and the CIA, family background, intelligence? The mother and skills, conspiracies? Carl as the young member? Whistler and his skills, blindness, ability to hear, give advice? His drive? Peace for all?

16. Cosmo, the villain, outwardly calm, seething? The past? Madness? Friendship and the breaking of friendship? Alone?

17. The villains and style? The agencies and their double-dealings?

18. How satisfying the combination of the serious and the flip?