EMPIRE STATE

US, 2013, 96 minutes, Colour.
Liam Hemsworth, Michael Angarano, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Ben- Victor, Jerry Ferrara, Michael Rispoli, Emma Roberts, Nikki Reed, Chris Diamontopoulos.
Directed by Dito Montiel.

Empire State is a heist story, based on actual events in the 1980s, New York City.

The film has been directed by Dito Montiel, who came to some prominence with his film A Guide to Recognising Your Saints, followed by Fighting and The Son of No One. This film is rather more conventional, offering the background of the central antagonists, the build-up to the robbery, the police considering it as a strongly planned job, suspicious of the Mafia. However, it was scrappily organised and done by local small-time criminals.

Liam Hemsworth is a young man, refused training by the police because of a past misdemeanour, taking on a security job and finding security rather lax. When there is an attempt on the depot, and the authorities are unwilling to pay for compensation to the driver who was killed during the attack, Hemsworth decides to take some money and delivers it to the widow. He talks about it to his slacker friend, Michael Angarano, who then decides to rob the depot. After a false attempt, he goes on to the roof, falls through, gets the key, shoots the guard dog, takes the money and hits his friend on the head so that he will not be suspected.

Dwayne Johnson appears as the detective. Emma Roberts has a very small role as a girlfriend.

The final credits include an interview much later with the real Chris.

All in all, the film has some interest but is rather routine.

1. A heist story, a New York story? A true story? The images of the television coverage? The end and the real Chris appearing and being interviewed?

2. New York, the 1980s, style, clothes, cars, clubs, ethnic centres, homes, depots and vehicles? The movies of the time? The musical score? Authentic feel?

3. The opening, Detective Ransome and his interviews, going back three months?

4. The Greek family, the Greek clubs, Spiro and his associates, tough? Tommy and his work in the club, the toilet, being humiliated, Chris’s reaction? His being fired? The Greek tradition, the father, being honourable, not replying or retaliating? The mother, her strong stances, her friends, working in the garden, the gift of the statue? The parents and their bonds with Chris? His sister, her lack of clothes in the comments…?

5. Chris, wanting to join the police, his past, his record with Eddie, the request denied? His reaction? His anger on behalf of his father? Taking on the security job, $200 a week? Tony as his partner, a pleasant man, his family and children? The laxity of the depot, the money and the guard dog, easy access to the vault? Security cameras? Leaving the money out? The workers and their casual attitudes? The bosses? Chris and his work watching the security screens?

6. Tony, pleasant, his family, his being shot? The robbery attempt, Chris wearing his vest? The lack of recompense for Tony, Chris seeing the boss’s letter, stealing one of the bags and delivering it to Tony’s his wife?

7. Eddie, a motormouth, lacking intelligence, age, friendship with Chris, lazy, wanting money, his loose talk, his past with Chris and the record? Contact with the Greeks? With the Colombian drug dealers? His ambitions, Chris telling him the story, Chris cautioning him? His plan? To do the robbery? The irony of a second group attacking on the same night?

8. The robberies, Ransome, Chris on the phone, warning Eddie? The other criminals, the shooting, Chris shooting and saving Ransome?

9. Chris and his home life, the friendship with Nancy, her work in the diner, her friend? Part of the neighbourhood?

10. The talk with the Greeks, Eddie and his associates, Jimmy, Jimmy being shot, but not dying, coming Spiro? The information for Spiro?

11. Eddie, the robbery, crashing through the roof, getting the keys, shooting the dog, transporting the money, blocking the camera, hitting Chris for his alibi?

12. Ransome, his partner, the work of the police, investigations, Chris taken to hospital, the later interrogations, Ransome threatening him?

13. Eddie, going to the Colombians, the drugs, the shootout? Eddie and his still wanting the rest of the money?

14. Chris’s father, the confrontation with Eddie, sending him away? His relationship with Chris?

15. The media and the sensation of the robbery, expecting it to be the Mafia, extra police surveillance of the Mafia?

16. The end, one of those impossible robberies? Chris being interviewed so much later and the money still not found? In the statue?