Overview
A clever heist takes a turn for the chaotic as a team of thieves faces relentless misfortune.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- offbeat
- breezy
- lazy sunday
- classic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an inventive, lightly amusing caper elevated by smart direction and a strong ensemble despite its familiar plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dortmunder's team executes multiple elaborate attempts to recover the diamond, only for circumstances and bad luck to keep defeating them.
The diamond is valuable not only as loot but also as an object of significance to Dr. Amusa's people, with a history tied to colonial theft.
Dortmunder assembles a crack team of cat burglars, and the film emphasizes their performances, teamwork, and comic setbacks.
The plot centers on a museum robbery planned by experienced cat burglars, while critics specifically noted its attention to reasonable detail.
Films like The Hot Rock, and why
The Italian Job
offbeat heist comedy with an ensemble of skilled criminals whose elaborate plans repeatedly unravel
The Great Muppet Caper
lightly comic caper built around team dynamics, theft, and escalating complications
A Fish Called Wanda
ensemble crime comedy balancing meticulous robbery schemes with mishaps and character humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Yates
- Release Date
- 1972-01-26
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (136)
Cast
- Robert Redford
- George Segal
- Ron Leibman
- Paul Sand
- Moses Gunn
- William Redfield
- Topo Swope
- Charlotte Rae
- Graham Jarvis
- Christopher Guest
Common questions
- What is The Hot Rock about?
- A meticulously planned diamond robbery becomes a buoyant chain of comic failures when a professional thief and his crew cannot keep the prize in their hands.
- What is The Hot Rock like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Hot Rock as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Hot Rock violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Hot Rock.
- What did critics think of The Hot Rock?
- Critics broadly found the film an inventive, lightly amusing caper elevated by smart direction and a strong ensemble despite its familiar plot.
- Which films are like The Hot Rock?
- Films with a similar feel include The Italian Job, The Great Muppet Caper, and A Fish Called Wanda.
- How long is The Hot Rock?
- The Hot Rock runs 101 minutes.
