Sneakers (1992)

A security pro finds his past coming back to haunt him, when he and his unique team are tasked with retrieving a particularly important item.

Director:

Phil Alden Robinson

Writers:

Phil Alden Robinson, Lawrence Lasker

Stars:

Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Sidney Poitier

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jo Marr	...	College-Aged Cosmo (as Jojo Marr)
Gary Hershberger	...	College-Aged Bishop
Robert Redford	...	Bishop
Sidney Poitier	...	Crease
David Strathairn	...	Whistler
Dan Aykroyd	...	Mother
River Phoenix	...	Carl
Bodhi Elfman	...	Centurion S&L Night Guard
Denise Dowse	...	Bank Teller
Hanyee	...	Bank Secretary
Timothy Busfield	...	Dick Gordon
Eddie Jones	...	Buddy Wallace
Time Winters	...	Homeless Man
Mary McDonnell	...	Liz
Jun Asai	...	Piano Prodigy

Storyline

Martin Bishop is the head of a group of experts who specialize in testing security systems. When he is blackmailed by government agents into stealing a top secret black box, the team find themselves embroiled in a game of danger and intrigue. After they recover the box, they discover that it has the capability to decode all existing encryption systems around the world, and that the agents who hired them didn't work for the government after all.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | cryptography | teamwork | heist movie | heist | 

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Taglines:

We could tell you what it's about. But then, of course, we'd have to kill you.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief sexual references

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian Chinese

Release Date:

11 September 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Héroes por azar

Filming Locations:

400 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$51,433,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$105,233,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min 118 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The warehouse set, in which the characters are having a party after getting the device, is modeled on the set of the warehouse party in The Conversation (1974).

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Goofs

When Bishop is practicing lock picking on the way to Janek's office he is only using a pick to manipulate the lock. This wouldn't work as you also need a tension tool to hold the pins in place once you have set them with the pick. With his method the pins would simply spring back into place as soon as he removed the pick.

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Quotes

Dick Gordon: Before we begin, something we need to clear up. Most firms of this kind are staffed with ex-law enforcement types, but your team, it's...
Martin Bishop: [laughs] I know, kind of different.
Buddy Wallace: Yes, you are.
[opens file]
Buddy Wallace: Darryl Roscow, also known as "Mother." Eighteen months at Denimmoore for breaking and entering.
Martin Bishop: Yeah, he was framed. But he's got the best hands in the business.
Buddy Wallace: [opens another file] Carl Arbogast, age 19. Caught breaking into the Oakland City School District computer to change his grades.
Martin Bishop: I know, ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

After the closing credits, and after the MPAA rating, a smiley-face appears, and then a directive to visit Universal Studios in Hollywood.

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Connections

Referenced in Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (1993)

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Soundtracks

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Written by Jim Croce
Performed by George Cheung (as George Kee Cheung)
Chinese Translation by George Cheung (as George Kee Cheung)

User Reviews

Excellent actors, awesome score, stunning visually

Sneakers is, and has been, one of my favorite movies for years. I saw it on Showtime, and I had to buy it on VHS. Soon after the release of DVD, I bought the DVD version and I watch it ALL the time. This movie is awesome in all aspects. I love the cast, and I love the music. I have the soundtrack on CD, and Branford Marsalis on sax adds so much to the movie and its entire mood. As for the story...funny, exciting, thought- provoking. I made a comment about the visuals, I think they were exciting as well. The camera shots and all, hard to explain, but I love it. I especially love the shots at the start of the movie in the snow, that scene as a whole, camera angles, music, lighting---awesome. What I don't get about the movie is this---how come Redford has to ask his off and on "girlfriend" what encryption is? I thought he was a hacker!? There are a few other times in the movie where he and his "crew" ask questions about computer subjects it seems they should know everything about. I never understood that. Well, that's that....I think the movie is a must see.