Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Ackroyd, Ben Kingsley, River Phoenix, David Strathairn, and Mary McDonnell star in "Sneakers," a film about security guys who get involved in a scheme to steal for the government. Or so they think.
Redford plays Martin Bishop, who has been on the run from the law since 1969, when his friend Cosmos was caught hacking into some large bank accounts - like the Republican Party's, Richard Nixon's, etc. Bishop (whose name back then was Brice) was outside the building at the time and has been wanted ever since. Fast forward 20+ years and he's a securities expert in partnership with ex-CIA agent Poitier, Ackroyd, the blind Strathairn, and River Phoenix. The government wants them to get a black box invention from a Russian mathematician, promising to wipe Bishop's record clean. Except they turn out not to be the government. And the black box? A decoder that can get into power plants, the Federal Reserve, and every other important place.
This is a fast-paced, entertaining movie that has both funny and highly suspenseful moments. The story is way out there, the technical equipment is interesting and lots of it probably still holds up 16 years later, and the cast is great. I realize some of the comments are quite negative - I find "Sneakers" very enjoyable with great ensemble work and an intricate plot. Realistic? Is Mission: Impossible? If I wanted reality, I wouldn't be watching a movie.