Welcome to Collinwood

A nifty little film about a gang of would-be crooks and a heist that goes awry. That probably sounds like a premise you've seen about a hundred times in the past few years, but Welcome to Collinwood rises above most other caper movies due to a strong script, clean and inventive direction, and above all an outstanding cast: Sam Rockwell (Galaxy Quest, Safe Men), William H. Macy (Fargo, State and Main), Isaiah Washington (Clockers, Out of Sight), Luis Guzmán (The Limey, Punch-Drunk Love), Jennifer Esposito (Summer of Sam, Shaft), Patricia Clarkson (High Art, Joe Gould's Secret), and several other great character actors have such chemistry, wit, and sheer talent that it's a pleasure to watch them scheme, wriggle, and woo each other through an elaborate plan that's doomed from the start. George Clooney also appears (and coproduced the movie). Smart and charming. --Bret Fetzer