Finding Steve McQueen

Finding Steve McQueen is based on a true story about a gang of thieves in Ohio who attempted to steal $30 million from President Richard Nixon’s secret fund. Written by Ken Hixon and Keith Sharon, the film is directed by Mark Steven Johnson.

The Cast. This film has one of the most diverse and talented casts of any film I’ve seen in quite a while. While the main character is played by the relatively unknown Travis Fimmel, he's surrounded by outstanding actors. Rachael Taylor plays the love interest and she's barely recognizable but is outstanding in her time on screen. Forest Whitaker plays the FBI agent hunting Fimmel’s character and basically plays a version of Forest Whitaker. The best performance in the film, by far, is William Fichtner (who plays Enzo), the lead man of the gang that decides to rob the bank.

The Pacing. Seemed a bit slow for my taste, especially given the subject matter — but I did like the use of music to liven the mood of the film. It just seemed like every time the film started to gain steam and become interesting, there'd be a slower dialogue-heavy scene to grind the film down. I suppose if you go into the film knowing it'll be a love story, as well as a bank-heist movie, you may not be as surprised as I was.

The Action. To make up for parts of the story structure, which I did not enjoy — the film does an excellent job with some of its set pieces and car chases. Do not arrive late — some of the best car stunts happen towards the beginning of the film and are quite a bit of fun. If you are a fan of classic cars, especially muscle cars, there are plenty of scenes in this film for you to enjoy.