The Thomas Crown Affair

 

With Michael B. Jordan set to direct and star in a new version of The Thomas Crown Affair, I decided to revisit the 1999 remake starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. A reimagining of the 1968 classic, the film follows Thomas Crown, a billionaire so bored with his wealth that he steals a Monet just for the thrill. The plot kicks into gear when Catherine Banning, an insurance investigator, enters the scene, sparking a high-stakes game of cat and mouse fueled by a complicated romantic attraction.

The film's tone is a mix of heist-thriller and romance, but many elements didn’t age gracefully. The score, which might have felt stylish in the late 90s, came across as incredibly corny by modern standards, and the dance sequence was genuinely painful to sit through. A major point of frustration was the overt sexualization of Rene Russo’s character; the film is filled with unnecessary topless and body shots that felt gratuitous, especially since the men weren’t subjected to the same gaze. Even the cameo by the legendary Faye Dunaway as Crown’s therapist felt off, with her dialogue being far too direct and familiar to be a realistic portrayal of a professional.

In terms of acting, Brosnan and Russo had solid chemistry, though their performances varied in quality. Brosnan was likable and safe in his lane, but showed limited range, while Russo was clearly the stronger actor, even if she leaned into overacting at times. I appreciated that Banning was written with autonomy and high intelligence, though it felt a bit too convenient that she had every single answer while the men around her sat like fools.

The plot itself stretched the limits of realism, specifically the idea that a world-class thief would risk everything for the woman investigating him, and while the heists were clever and featured one genuinely great twist near the end, the final resolution felt decidedly corny.

While the film had its moments of cleverness, watching it today felt significantly more dated than its 25-year age would suggest. It’s a stylish relic of its time, but it certainly leaves plenty of room for Michael B. Jordan to improve upon the formula.