THIEF (1981)

Michael Mann’s feature debut is a sleek, neon-soaked neo-noir that cemented his signature style.

James Caan delivers one of his best performances as a meticulous safecracker desperate to escape his criminal life.

With stunning night cinematography, a haunting Tangerine Dream score, and a cracking love story thrown in for good measure, THIEF paved the way for Mann’s later classics like HEAT. It’s a gritty yet poetic examination of ambition, crime, and personal freedom, establishing Mann as a master visual stylist.