The Split

This movie had everything necessary for a great movie but fell short while still an entertaining flick. The amazing cast features early performances by Jim Brown, Gene Hackman and Donald Sutherland. Other stars include Ernest Borgnine, Jack Klugman and Julie Harris. How could this go wrong? The plot centers around a heist which is reminiscent of The Killing but replaces the racetrack with a football stadium (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum). The action is mostly good though perhaps slightly overboard at times. The story is largely believable though the scenes with Brown's girlfriend are at times problematic though not insurmountable. There are some other issues with the script but not major dealbreakers. Things get a little sloppy in the second half and the director tries to tie it all together in a rushed knot at the end which brings the movie down a notch. This is really must-see for any Gene Hackman fan since it is one of his earlier roles and he shows all of the character traits which made him a great star. Mostly, this film has some appealing parts namely in the way of its stars but too many little flaws which are emblematic of the time period when films were getting sloppier.