Movies that try to do a lot fail more often than they succeed. There's no doubt that "Sneakers" attempts to pull off a lot of things during its 126 minute running time. Just look at the genres its listed under on its page (and believe me, the film spends plenty of time in each of them). But while there are many films that suffer from being overly ambitious, "Sneakers" is not one of them. It's hard to imagine how this film could be any more perfect.<br /><br />Martin Bishop (Robert Redford) runs a business in testing security systems with an eccentric group of characters. However, they are hired by the NSA to steal a mysterious box from a scientist. Of course, not everything is what it seems.<br /><br />To say more would be a crime. "Sneakers" has enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing where it will go next. This is achieved by both Phil Alden Robinson's excellent direction, and a smart script where the heroes and villains are equally intelligent.<br /><br />The acting is terrific. Robert Redford is terrific as the low-key Bishop. Bishop has a dark past, but he's likable enough that we still root for him. His crew is made up of actors who turn in equally good performances: Sidney Poitier as the weary Creasy, Dan Aykroyd as the conspiracy freak known as Mother (the banter between Mother and Creasy is hilarious), the late River Phoenix as the teen-aged Carl, and David Stratharin is excellent as the blind, but excellent-hearing Whistler. And Mary McDonnell is delightful as Mary's ex-girlfriend Liz. The villains (I won't say who they are) ooze menace.<br /><br />Phil Alden Robinson made his debut with the hit "Field of Dreams," and he follows it up with "Sneakers." The tone is perfect. It's fun, easy-going, but it leaves room for legitimate tension. It's also oddly nostalgic. The result is a dreamy masterpiece.<br /><br />See "Sneakers." You won't be disappointed.