This caper movie — based on a novel by Donald E Westlake — is not without its flaws, but it boasts a sense of finesse and fun that other films in the genre sadly lack. Robert Redford and George Segal head a quartet of criminals bent on stealing a fabulous diamond from the Brooklyn Museum. Inevitably, their ineptitude at robbery is a reflection of their incompetence at living. Peter Yates, working from a William Goldman script that shouldn't have split the tale into four distinct parts, directs without momentum, but is bailed out by his actors' considerable expertise.

Halliwell's Film Guide

Enjoyable variation on the caper theme, with relaxed comic performances and highly skilled technical back-up. It's refreshing to come across a film which hits its targets so precisely.