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While interviewing convicted burglars at a Chicago prison, filmmaking brothers Malik and Sam Bader hear about Kaspar Carr, a brilliant career burglar who’s known for pulling off big jobs on his own. Kaspar agrees to give the filmmakers a look inside the life of a thief—and they get to ride along as he drives around the city, looking for his next job. They watch him plan jobs, casing warehouses and grocery stores and clubs, getting to know the managers and their schedules, locating the safe, and preparing for the big day. They even get to watch him pull off a couple of jobs, obediently following along with cameras and flashlights. At the same time, they also get to know more about Kaspar—about the kind of jobs he does, the patience it requires, and even how his grandmother inadvertently taught him how to steal.
What viewers don’t find out, however, is whether Street Thief is really true—or if it’s all just a brilliantly planned and creatively constructed piece of cinéma vérité. The filmmakers aren’t tellin’. They prefer to keep it their little secret—but you can argue either way. Kaspar’s unpredictability makes it feel real; the fact that the filmmakers willingly follow along (not to mention the fact that they’re allowed to follow along) to film a man committing a crime makes it a little bit hard to believe. I’ve got my theory, but I’m not going to ruin the fun for you by giving my take on it. I’ll just let you decide for yourself. Either way, though, the story will pull you in.
Whether or not he’s a real person doesn’t really matter. Kaspar is a fascinating character. On one hand, he’s just a normal guy. He has an office. He loves to cook. His neighbors think he’s a nice guy. As he explains to the camera, he could have been anything—a cook or an accountant or whatever. But he’s a burglar. He chose a career, and he’s good at it—and he likes what he does. Kaspar makes the movie both captivating and entertaining. At times, he’s completely open, going into detail about his jobs. At other times, he refuses to answer questions, lecturing the man behind the camera about what he can ask and what he can’t. Or he gets sick of the attention the camera brings, and he either storms off.
Street Thief isn’t a fast-paced film, but it’s a fascinating one nonetheless. It’s also wonderfully creative—using shaky undercover-style footage and unusual techniques (my personal favorites: the grocery cart cam and the helmet-cam) to give the film just the right look. It’s a smart film that will keep its viewers on their toes—a little bit of reality mixed with a little bit of mystery—and it’s well worth checking out.
