Finding Steve McQueen is a 2019 American comedy crime thriller in which a gang of thieves attempt to steal $30 million. The source? Illegal contributions and blackmail money from Republican President Richard Nixon’s secret fund.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Killing Season; Ghost Rider; Daredevil) from a screenplay co-written by Ken Hixon and Keith Sharon, the movie stars Travis Fimmel (Raised by Wolves), Rachael Taylor (Jessica Jones), William Fichtner (Armageddon) and Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland).
Plot:
Based on the true story of the Youngstown mob, President Richard Nixon, the FBI, and the biggest bank heist in US history! In 1972, a gang of like-minded thieves plan a heist to steal $30 million in illegal campaign contributions from Republican President’s secret fund…
Reviews:
“While the performances help elevate the film, it never completely gets its legs underneath it. If you are a huge Steve McQueen fan, maybe you will like it more than me. But if you are in the mood for a heist movie, there are a lot more compelling options to choose from.” Battleship Pretension
“Finding Steve McQueen doesn’t find a way to make McQueen truly relevant to Harry’s story, and Tricky Dick’s cash stash proves less important to the narrative than it’s cracked up to be; in the end, this could be any bunch of unlikely crooks going after any big score.” Birth. Movies. Death.
“The love story at the center of Finding Steve McQueen is odd, often getting in the way of more interesting bank heist and investigation matters […] The whole endeavor slows to a crawl, while the screenplay’s attempt to make something of a hero out of Harry tends to diminish any lasting appeal, going gooey with a crook and a liar.” Blu-ray.com
“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.” Borrowing Tape
“The level of aspiration within the characters to look cool and be something bigger than their actual place in the world is the overwhelming theme of this movie […] Even in joy or success, they’re pretenders who pale in comparison and fall short of the real shine they think matters. The movie is a pretender too, but, like our storyteller Harry, it settles into an easy-going place of truth and enjoyment in the little scores instead of the big ones.” Every Movie Has a Lesson
“Screenwriters Ken Hixon and Keith Sharon (a reporter at the Orange County Register) intriguingly blend capery crime fiction with political history, but they frequently stipulate events and theories not entirely established by the historical record. Ultimately, it is just sort of okay, but nothing special. Maybe Whitaker fans will eventually find it worth streaming for free, but there is no pressing need to rush out to see it…” J.B. Spins
“Finding Steve McQueen joins American Animals and The Old Man and the Gun in a recent wave of quirky true crime films but lacks the moral complexity of one and the star value of the other – though it has solid performances across the board, with especially good work from Fichtner as a Nixon-hating crook and Rhys Corio and Louis Lombardo as the other pro hoods on the team.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Finding Steve McQueen could have used more of the galvanizing spirit of its patron saint, but there’s also much to recommend here, in particular its light-hearted energy. It’s fun to revel in the audacity of what these guys almost pulled off.” RogerEbert.com
“Finding Steve McQueen is more than a film based on true events. It is a combination of true story, laugh out loud comedy, and a romance story that at its 91-minute running time is nothing short of watchable and fast-paced, all with some great car chases due to Harry’s obsession with the titular Hollywood icon.” World Film Geek
Release:
In the USA, the movie was released on March 15th 2019. Blu-ray, DVD and Digital releases followed on August 13th 2019.
In the UK, Finding Steve McQueen will be available on Digital Download via The Movie Partnership on 16th November 2020.
Cast and characters:
Travis Fimmel … Harry Barber
Lily Rabe … Sharon Price
Rachael Taylor … Molly Murphy
Forest Whitaker … Howard Lambert
William Fichtner … Enzo Rotella
Jake Weary … Tommy Barber
Rhys Coiro … Ray Darrow
John Finn … W. Mark Felt
Louis Lombardi … Pauly Callahan
Molly McQueen … Polly Kelly
Ric Reitz … Sheriff Kelly
Kelly Johns … Young Woman
Kenny Alfonso … Bobby Lohman
Jill Jane Clements Jill Jane Clements … Receptionist
Darren Keefe Reiher … Deputy Hurlbuck
Blair Jasin … Boyfriend
Robin McDonald … Rose Kelly
Joy Libardoni … Sandy (as Gioia Libardoni)
Jerry Winsett … Mr Weigler
Camden Pace … Felt’s Driver
Laksmi Hedemark … Lambert’s Secretary
Andrew James Jones … Youngstown Cop
Stephanie Astalos-Jones … Mrs Olin
Ken King … Emcee
Kenny Barr … Chip
Trevor Garner … Frat Boy
Filming locations:
Dallas and Marietta, Georgia
Youngstown, Ohio
Technical details:
91 minutes
Aspect ratio: 1.85: 1
