The Take (2016)

A young pickpocket and an unruly CIA agent team up on an anti-terrorist mission in France.

Director:

James Watkins

Writers:

Andrew Baldwin, James Watkins

Stars:

Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Charlotte Le Bon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Idris Elba	...	Sean Briar
Richard Madden	...	Michael Mason
Charlotte Le Bon	...	Zoe
Kelly Reilly	...	Karen Dacre
José Garcia	...	Victor Gamieux
Thierry Godard	...	Rafi Bertrand
Vincent Londez	...	Yannick Bertrand
Arieh Worthalter	...	Jean
Mohamed Makhtoumi	...	Christophe
Théo Costa-Marini	...	Xavier (as Théo Costa Marini)
Jérôme Gaspard	...	Yves
Ismaël Sy Savané	...	Serge (as Ismael Sy Savane)
James Stewart	...	Henri
James Cox	...	Pierre
James Harris	...	Marcel

Storyline

Michael Mason, a pickpocket living in Paris, steals a bag with a teddy bear in it. Not realizing the toy contains a timed bomb, he tosses it aside on a busy street. A few seconds later it explodes, killing four people. CCTV footage reveals Mason's face and the French police tag him as a terrorist threat. The explosion, although botched, was set up by a select group of the French Interior Ministry as a decoy so they can make a half billion dollar digital transfer from a bank (closed on French National Day) -- hence the title Bastille Day. In a separate CIA investigation the unruly agent Sean Briar discovers the real story behind Mason's "terrorist attack". The two men, on different sides of the law, collaborate to bring the corrupt members of the Ministry down.

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Plot Keywords:

pickpocket | cia | bomb | swat team | riot | 

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Taglines:

Outside the law, there are no limits.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK France USA Luxembourg Germany

Language:

English French

Release Date:

18 November 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Take

Filming Locations:

Paris, Île-de-France, France

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$41,546, 20 November 2016

Gross USA:

$50,269

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,857,808

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal, Anton, Amazon Prime Video

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cranked up for the start of principal photography in Paris, France in October 2014, and for a film set in mid-July, the weather stayed mostly clear and sunny.

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Goofs

When Idris is introduced in the opening scene, his tie is a single knot, however once his meeting begins it's turned into a classic double knot!.

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Quotes

Michael Mason: [sullenly] You don't fucking know me.
Sean Briar: Age 14 through 16, you were caught shoplifting for pornography and Britney Spears CDs. You stole your stepdad's sports car and crashed it into the Caesar's Palace fountain. Categorised as impulsive, lacking of insight, and very likely to re-offend.
Michael Mason: [pause; he retaliates smartly] Okay. How about, uh, "lacking in interpersonal empathy?" "Reckless, insubordinate, and irresponsible."
Michael Mason: [...]

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Connections

Featured in Projector: Bastille Day (2016)

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Soundtracks

Je Remplis L'Sac
Written by O. Kwai Pun, Okou Armand Gnakouri
Performed by Kaaris
© Because Éditions, 2 Zeros 93 Publishing
(p) 2014 Def Jam Recordings France
Courtesy of Universal Music Vision

User Reviews

Exciting Thriller

I'm torn between a 6 and 7 for this film. This has everything a good thriller should have, but nothing notably unique about the film or the way it's done past the protagonists and some of the cinematography.

The film is a spiral into chaos and the characters are very likable, forming an unlikely friendship between a thief and a CIA agent. Idris Elba and Richard Madden show off some great acting that really drives the film, with the dialogue between the two easily being my favourite part of the film. The directing is great, too, with a riveting chase sequence that looks and feels exciting and some lovely cinematography in France.

The premise isn't anything amazing, but throwing a sly, witty pocket thief into the mix of what would be an ordinary every-year thriller is what drives the film and makes it anything worth noting. If you're going to see this film for any reason, it should be for the two leads. Bastille Day is nothing unique, but it's definitely a good film if you're in the mood for a thriller (however I'd recommend Eye in the Sky over this). This is a film for people that are into thrillers and fun character interaction.